Reflections
by Kiki Yushima
Summary: They say everybody has a twin out there. They just didn't imagine it would turn out like this. Slowburn Leokumi, heavy canon divergence. Year 2158. Part of the Silence Keepers universe.
1. Chapter 1

I'll try to keep any author's notes as brief and sparing as possible, though there are a few things I have to cover right now that will make this initial set pretty long. I'll try to keep my author's notes to be exclusively information that (probably) won't be mentioned in story.

First: know that this fic is mainly a self-indulgent thing to get me writing again. I may abandon it at some point. I mainly just want to write a story without heavy planning for the fun of it.

Second: This is my Fates world which veers away from canon entirely. Many characters follow characterisations that are completely counter to their canon ones. If you don't want to see the Nohrian royals and many others bastardised, then just stop reading now.

(A quick note on names: René = Niles. Luna = Serena/Severa. Isaiah = Laslow/Inigo. Marius = Odin/Owain)

If you want why: the Awakening kids' personalities are different due to their parents (Kellam, Gregor, and Ricken respectively), so the canon aliases didn't fit. Plus, I dislike the name Severa, so I changed it to Serena canonically. For Reiko, she changed her name to go native and hopefully be accepted by the Hoshidan people better (though it really didn't work). For René, Niles was his old assassin/thief alias and "René" means "rebirth" since becoming Leo's retainer marked a changing point in his life.

Third: this fic will deal with many heavy themes (abuse of all kinds, suicide, self-harm, and potentially others) as well as the psychological ramifications of them and war. There will also be graphic depictions of self-harm at points. Again, stop reading now if you don't want to deal with that.

Fourth: the first chapters are meant to serve as an introduction/base into my world and the bizarre characterisations. These are just snapshots to help give you an idea of what to expect with the characters and hint at the darker themes and will not be the standard formatting. The first three chapters from Leo's view take place about a year before canon (he's about thirteen) while Takumi's are shortly before canon starts (he's about fifteen). So that means there's a one year gap between the two of them. I'll give more ages later on. Also these first chapters will be mostly mundane, focused around everyday occurrences/interactions since these sorts of scenarios tend to speak most to how people and characters are.

Fifth: Any and all complaints about changes/dark themes will be ignored as you have been given clear warnings.

On that note, if you're still interested, read on and I hope you enjoy! Just be prepared to get kicked in the soul a couple dozen times along the way!

* * *

"It looks like this village is the last one on the list." Leo looked up from the page in Brynhildr that listed all of the villages he needed to visit. With the growing season due to start in just a couple of months, he'd made his first of many pilgrimages around Nohr to help the farmers. He coughed a bit, ignoring the slight prickling sensation in his throat. René eyed him as did Marius, but he gave his retainers a reassuring smile. After a moment, they nodded and reined their horses around, heading into the small village.

It took only a matter of moments before the farmers gathered around and Leo dismounted, a small smile on his face. They ruffled his hair, giving him rough greetings and he passed from hug to hug, getting treated like a long-lost son.

"Gentlemen, I know you're excited, but time is short. Please, tell me what issues have plagued you this past winter so I know how best to handle the situation. I need to be home by week's end to get on the campaign trail soon." He winced at the thought and the stabbing sensation in his throat, but as Nohr's chief tactician, it wouldn't do to have him absent from the first major battle of the war season.

It wasn't long until he fell into the usual thousand questions. By now, he knew of the harsh conditions that had ravaged the Nohrian countryside. It had been bitterly cold even for Nohr that year and the soil was hard which would make tilling the fields even harder than normal. He was already sick with worry over what it would mean for the people and war effort. It might finally be enough for Hoshido to break through and win the war that had been stalemated for so long. Would it really be such a bad thing if Garon died, though? But if Mikoto were anything like his mother, then she had no doubt rolled over and accepted whatever path fate would take long ago…

He shook the thought away and continued questioning the farmers until he broke away into one of his coughing fits. Needles stabbed the inside of his throat and he struggled to intake air, stopping only when he felt René's arms wrap around him, helping steady his weak frame. The farmers fell silent for a moment as he took a waterskin from his retainer, wincing at the bitter herbal mixture in it. René picked up right where he had left off and the farmers continued on as if nothing had happened.

Despite everything, Leo continued to listen with the occasional sip to the waterskin to help soothe his throat. He mentally ran through the list of Brynhildr's spells and put together what would be needed to assist them. Even knowing the general conditions, it was still best to know what each village needed exactly so that he could help them to the best of his ability.

He handed the waterskin back to René after the conversation ended and grabbed his violin off Aylenan's saddle. After tuning it for a moment, he felt the magic start to flow from the notes and a smile came to this face. The look of relief on the farmers' faces made these journeys more than worth it despite the severe physical toll it took on his body.

He finished the small performance about half an hour later, putting his violin away. After he did, he nearly collapsed, but René caught him in the same one. He pressed a hand to Leo's forehead and sighed, shaking his head, tapping a message into the prince's side.

Your fever is going to be even worse than normal when we get back to the castle. Princess Elise isn't going to be happy. The retainer shot him a disapproving look but Leo just gave him a weak smile in return.

I'll be fine, René; I always am in the end. He wasn't sure if he'd be recovered fully before the war season, but he prayed he would be. There was no telling what Garon would do to him if he wasn't. He shoved the thoughts to the side and smiled at the farmers who returned it.

"Thank you so much, Prince Leo; we don't know what we'd do without your help every season." David took his hat off and put it above his heart, though Hendrik grumbled and folded his arms.

"Well, we do since we can remember when Katerina—" Levi smacked and glared at Hendrik for the comment while David just kept his attention on the prince and his retainer.

"Would you like to rest for awhile, Prince Leo? I know how much this takes out of you and you look in no shape to be traveling. My wife definitely wouldn't mind offering you a bed for the night." He spoke to René instead of Leo since they all knew full well Leo's voice was spent.

"While we appreciate the offer of hospitality, David, it's prudent to return Prince Leo to the castle as soon as possible before his fever sets in." David nodded and put his hat back on.

"Of course. May the dusk lead to a clear night." David smiled one last time and René returned it with a faint one of his own.

That accomplished, Leo closed his eyes and felt the archer's arms lift him up, mounting his horse. The prince's head lolled to the side and and it wasn't long until the steady movement and sound of the walking hooved lulled him into a fevered slumber.

* * *

I'll explain what that "tapping" mentioned is at the end of next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Over the next week, morning, afternoon, and evening blurred into little more than streaks of brown, black, and grey with the occasional spot of the dark evergreen of Nohr's forests. Leo managed to get down small bits of food and water at his retainers' behest, but his fevered has had taken over so much of it that he he barely remembered any of it.

When they finally returned to the castle, he faintly heard Camilla's voice and felt her arms wrap around him, carrying him to his room. He also made out Elise letting out an expression of alarm in Garoux and caught snippets of her grilling René over what had happened.

"I thought you of all people—!"

"Forgive me, Princess Elise, but you know how much—"

"Gods, what spells—"

A cold washcloth on his head was the next thing in Leo's awareness. Through slatted eyes, he made out a formless mass of purple hovering above him. The mass shifted and he felt a kiss placed through the washcloth. His eyes closed again a moment later, the effort of event that too much at the moment.

"Oh Leo, dear, you shouldn't have pushed yourself so much." Camilla's voice barely raised above a whisper but the words still made him flinch a little. He felt her take one of his hands between both of hers and she started tapping into his palm.

You've already been down for nearly two weeks.

That long? Gods, I knew I had overdone it, but I didn't think it was that bad. He had to force his fingers to move to formulate a reply and, even then, it was arduous. Each small movement took every bit of concentration and the strain made his entire body shake. Camilla squeezed his hand and with as little pressure as possible and he got the message to stop. His hand went lax in her as she started tapping to him again.

Elise managed to find some rare, old books on magic theory. Would you like me to read to you? He managed a tiny nod and felt her place his hand back on the bed before hearing the shuffle of turning pages.

"Thankfully, she managed to translate decent chunks of a few of them." Leo could hear the smile in his sister's voice and managed a faint one of his own. She started reading a moment later, though he lost her voice a short time later, returning to his fevered abyss.

"I don't understand why you let him do this, Bryn! He damn near kills himself each growing season multiple times over! Battle is bad enough on him! Camila's always beside herself! It's your job to protect your wielder, not mine!" The angry female voice exploded into his mind and he mentally recoiled. Gods, no these fevered hallucinations again.

"Calm down, Kriemhild. I know what his limits are and how much power I can let him use without hurting him," the far more androgynous voice replied. He did indeed recognise it as Brynhildr.

"Without hurting—? He'll be bedridden for two months at least with how much you let him push himself!" He could have sworn he heard the sound of wood splinter despite the inky abyss.

"Kriemhild." The soft male voice spoke and he almost felt Kriemhild's anger spike even further. "How we protect our wielders is our own personal discretion. We all know how important Prince Leo's work with Brynhildr is to both himself and Nohr as a whole. Hopefully, it'll become less needed as time goes on. Fate is starting to turn—"

"Oh shut up, Siegfried. I don't want to hear you whine about fate again. You were always quiet on it when Katerina was around." Venom laced each of Kriemhild's words and he mentally recoiled again. Why did he always hallucinate about hearing the divine weapons speak to each other? Sure they communicated with their individual wielders but…

"It's all you ever whine about anymore."

"...I think this discussion would be best left for another time." He heard Brynhildr speak again and panicked. His eyes snapped open as he cried out, gripping the sheets and ignoring the searing in his throat. He heard Elise intake a breath sharply and she put a hand on his forehead. He looked up at his little sister, panting heavily as she shifted onto his bed and pressed a kiss into his head.

"Bad dream, Leo?" She reached down and took one of his hands as he nodded, his eyes locked on her steady, purple ones.

Another one of my divine weapon hallucinations. Elise blinked before she nodded, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"It's all right, Leo; I promise. Do you think you're feeling well enough to sit up? It's been four days since you were last this lucid." Four more days? Gods, these fevers really ate up the time he should have been preparing for the war or spending it with Xander in the music room…

But he nodded in response to her question as he ran a hand through his hair, ignoring how it clung to his head. Slowly, carefully, he sat up with Elise's help and coughed, his frail frame shaking. She filled a glass of water from the pitcher and helped him drinking, thankful for the coolness soothing his aching throat. There was a hint of sweetness to the water and knew she had added a little honey just for that. He mouthed 'thank you' to her and she shook her head, resting the washcloth on top of it.

"It's really no trouble, Leo. Do you want me to keep reading to you or hear how your gardens are starting to come up?" His eyebrows shot up at the latter revelation. With how harsh the winter had been, it should have been another month for the flower to start sprouting. Only Brynhildr's magic could have started coaxing the plants up but how…? He was Brynhildr's only wielder…

Shaking the thought to the side, he tapped into her hand. I'd like to hear about my gardens if you wouldn't mind. And maybe you could tell me how your last delegation with the Wolfskin went? Even if his temperament and severely limited ability to speak stopped him from ever being useful in politics, he still enjoyed hearing about his little sister's forays with the various Nohrian tribes.

Elise's eyebrows raised, her eyes twinkling as she launched into the delegation's events. Even at just eleven, she was one of the most important figures in Nohrian politics and would prove invaluable for whenever Camilla ascended the throne. Of course, there wasn't too much Elise could do at the moment, given Garon still lorded over the country, but it was only a matter of time until Camilla caved into her anger and flayed him alive with Kriemhild.

He sat and listened to Elise for awhile until his head started lolling a bit and she put a hand on his shoulder. "Get some rest, Leo; you should be out of bed by next week's end." With a nod, he settled back down and fell off to sleep once again, Elise's soft voice still ringing in his ears.

Over the next week, Leo found himself more and more lucid. Camilla, Elise, René, and Marius all spent time with him. One night, Peri brightened when she came into his room with dinner. "It's good to see you feeling better, Prince Leo. I was hoping you'd be awake since I managed to sneak some Nestran ingredients from the merchants and made a few new dishes for you to try. Only the freshest ingredients for you, of course~" She smiled at him and sat the tray on his lap as he blinked his gratitude. It was rare she managed to sneak down to the hidden city and secured new recipes for him to try. He was sick of exclusively Nohrian foods, so this sort of thing was always a treat for him.

He started to eat, though with how badly he still shook, he had a hard time steadying the silverware. Peri wrapped both of her hands around his, steadying his grip. "Take it nice and slow, Leo; no need to exhaust yourself just from eating." He nodded and finished with her help and she sat aside the dishes. A moment later, he took one of her hands and tapped on the back of it.

Where's Xander? It was unusual for his big brother to be missing when he returned from his first foray around Nohr. Camilla had sung and Elise had played her lap harp for him, but it just felt...empty with Xander's violin.

"He'll be in to visit you tonight. Military prep kind of blew up so he, Isaiah, and I have all been worked to the bone just to make sure Garon doesn't get on our case." Both of them winced at the thought and she pulled Leo into her arms as he started to shake. With the war about to return, losses would be inevitable and all of the blame would be put on him and—

His breathing hitched and he squeezed his eyes together as he struggled to get even one decent breath in. Peri put her free hand on his head, brushing it through his hair. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to you upset you. Want to hear about some of the pieces Xander wrote while you were gone?" Leo welcomed the change in topic and nodded, listening to Peri speak. It wasn't difficult for him to get an idea of what the pieces might have sounded like thanks to her descriptions, but he wouldn't know for certain until he heard them. Thankfully, it was enough to calm him down and his head started to fall, his eyes drooping.

"Get some rest, Leo; Xander will wake you up when he gets here." With a small nod, he let his eyes shut, though he clung to Peri tightly.

A gentle tap against Leo's shoulder made his eyes open as he recognised his brother's gentle attempt to wake him up. He reached up and patted Xander's arm reassuringly, getting a sigh of relief out of him. Xander took one of his hands and started tapping into it.

Sorry for waking you up, but Peri said—

It's fine, Xander; she was telling the truth. Leo shift a bit and Xander helped him sit up before continuing. She told me you wrote a few pieces while I was gone?

Xander's head raised and he smiled, the tension and anxiety making his hunched shoulders drop as he gave a nod. Elise brought back some new pieces from the Wolfskin, so I started blending them with some new Ice Tribe books I discovered in Mama's library—

Leo simply smiled as his brother went on for quite awhile, though Xander eventually ran a hand through his hair when he realised how long he had gone on. He stopped tapping the messages before he pulled out his violin and started playing.

Per usual, the notes resonated with an almost otherworldly beauty even with the raw, guttural power of the Wolfskin's music. The quiet, delicate notes signature to the Ice Tribe danced at the very top like snowflakes on the wind. The two styles blended beautifully and Leo found himself taken away from the dreary grey stone of Castle Krackenburg and back to Berand's cabin. The warmth and nostalgia of being a small boy tucked up against the old man while Xander played by the fire, and Camilla sang improvised lyrics…

He missed the days when their mother had been around to protect them from Garon's madness.

Unfortunately, the song ended and it brought Leo back to their awful reality. Tears misted over his eyes and Xander reached over to wipe them away.

Sorry.

Xander looked like someone had just shot his puppy with an arrow in front of him and Leo shook his head.

It's fine; it just...reminded me of the times we could sneak away to Berand's and spend time there, just the three of us.

...I miss Mama Arete too. Xander put his violin away before he hugged Leo, putting a hand on his forehead. Think your fever's gone down enough for you to come back to our room?

Leo fell silent for a moment as he took stock of his body. He was still hot from how dangerously high his fever had been before, but he spent more time lucid than asleep now, so…

He nodded and Xander smiled. He helped Leo stand up and supported his younger brother, heading back to the room they all shared normally. Camilla and Elise blinked when they entered, but Camilla picked Leo up and showered him in kisses, spinning him around with ease.

"Oh thank the gods. I was so worried. You haven't been down that bad in several years." Her eyes clouded with concern and she placed more kisses on his head, making him let out a silent laugh.

I missed you all so much.

* * *

Just a quick note on the italicised text, what it indicates, and why.

It's a special sign language that Katerina developed for Xander due to his own aversion with speaking. It's not a typical sign language that's gesture based like we think of. It's more akin to Morse code and its derivatives. It got its start as a whistle language Nohrian woodsmen use to communicate over long distances in forests. Berand, Katerina's grandfather and Xander's great grandfather, is a woodsman and he raised Katerina, so she knew the language and adapted it to use with Xander. It remains his primary method of communication. It's the same with Leo since his vocal cords were messed up from an illness he suffered shortly after he was born. He barely survived and it left him with a severely compromised immune system.

Also, yes, Camilla has her own divine weapon as does Hinoka. It bothered me to no end they didn't get their own weapons. So Camilla got a fire-elemental axe named Kriemhild and Hinoka got a water-elemental naginata named Suijin.


	3. Chapter 3

Leo's grip on Lilyana's reins slackened as his breath hitched. The black pegasus let out a shrill whinny as he felt himself tumble from her saddle. He knew he shouldn't have been leading the Dark Falcons that day, but the fear of punishment from Garon for not doing it had driven him to it.

Was this really the end for him? To be so young, barely an adult in Nohr, yet to die from falling from his pegasus? Then again, he'd seen plenty of young recruits die over the past five years, but he hadn't expected it to be his own fate.

His thoughts stopped dead when hit something—hard—and spluttered. He tried to catch his breath, spluttering, but nothing happened aside from his lungs burning. He writhed a bit but, somehow, his muscles locked up, though his breathing returned to normal. Air still pushed against his face so whoever caught him had an advanced understanding of magic—

Oh.

"Gods damn it all, Leo!" Takumi's voice cut through the black haze as he struggled to move again. The Hoshidan prince's paralysis spell proved too much for him to unbind in his weakened state, so all he could do was sit there, left to whatever little mercy Takumi decided to show him.

"Having to defend you on the ground is bad enough, but catching you in midair? You're such a goddamn burden in battle; I don't know how your siblings deal with you on a daily basis!" Leo's breathing hitched again and a few tears managed to find their way down his face, though the wind carried them away. It wasn't the first time he had heard this from Takumi but…

He heard an exasperated sigh from the other prince and the sudden shift in the wind direction indicated they were heading for a landing. His suspicions were confirmed when he felt Takumi's pegasus touch down, though it was so soft he could barely believe it. He felt the magic lifted and opened his eyes, scrambling to dismount as soon as possible. However, Takumi gripped both of his shoulders and Leo froze dead, his eyes rounded. He caught a glimpse of Takumi's amber eyes searing into his, making the frail prince quake in his boots.

"Slowly. I'd rather not have Ryoma-nii tear me apart if he knew you got hurt." Leo's eyes rounded even further since this was so unlike what he was used to from Takumi. There was still an edge, but…

He put the thoughts to the side as Takumi released his shoulders and pushed himself out of the saddle, offering him a hand. "You're sick, right, I won't let you get hurt." Even more kindness? What had gotten into him? Leo hesitated before taking the other prince's hand and dismounting. Well, he ore fell into Takumi's arms, the fever sapping so much of his energy. He closed his eyes and heard Takumi's breathing, rapid and shallow like his own. But why…?

All he knew was that he was glad when the Hoshidan prince put a hand on his forehead, trying to help soothe the fever with ice magic.

A few moments later, he head several sets of footsteps approach and an explanation of surprise from Elise in Ician. "Prince Takumi, what…?"

"Just take your damn brother off my hands. I have a war to fight unlike someone." Even with his eyes shut, it wasn't hard for Leo to see the look of utter disdain on Takumi's face just from his tone. Leo shifted into a healer's grasp and it took every ounce of self-control he had to not reach out and cling to the Hoshidan prince. The only time he got ice magic for his fevers like that was when he visited Cami in the Northern Fortress and Felicia took care of him…

He heard the wingbeats of Takumi's pegasus leave, returning to the battle. With support, Leo returned to his tent where the fevered abyss greeted him once more.

* * *

A little bit of a shorter chapter, but I figured it'd make a good segue into Takumi's set of three since it showed off his character a little bit.


	4. Chapter 4

A quick note: this chapter is where things start getting darker, but I won't be giving out content warnings for chapters. I have the sort of content clearly marked several times over, so anybody reading up to this point has a full understanding of the sort of content in this fic.

* * *

Takumi stretched and sighed as he looked up at the darkening sky, rubbing the back of his neck. "Looks like it's too late to head back to Shirasagi. Guess we should hit up one of the camps." He looked over his shoulder at Oboro whose hair clung to her face from perspiration. She blew at her limp bangs in frustration but nodded. He chuckled a bit, scratching the bottom of his nose.

"Normally, I wouldn't mind, but after the hellacious paces you put me through today… I was really looking forward to a hot bath." Oboro just sighed again before shaking her head. "Well, there's no use in crying about it. Which camp is nearest?"

"Camp Fu's closest. About ten minutes south by southeast." Oboro rubbed her temples but nodded as they fell silent, trudging through the last part of the forest. Thankfully, they reached the clearing quickly and Oboro plopped down next to the firepit. Takumi reverted the Fuujin Yumi to its concealed form, replacing it on its chain before settling in next to Oboro.

He let out a breath before he held his hands up and closed his eyes. A blue orb formed between his palms and he placed it over the firepit. Warmth radiated outward into the camp. It was still only the eighth of Sanguetsu, so it was still technically winter but it was still only three weeks before…

Takumi shifted forward a little, looking into the magic fireball. Oboro's hand lingered on his shoulder and he caught her eye, letting out a sigh.

"...I know you miss her, Takumi. Maybe the Dawn Dragon will smile on you and she'll return this year." Oboro's voice didn't raise above a whisper, but in the silence of the darkening forest, it sounded like temple bells ringing over the countryside.

Takumi just shook his head, scooping up one of the songbirds flocking around him. "It's been eleven years, Oboro. If Cami-nee hasn't come back by now, she's never returning. Considering what Xander's told Ryoma, it really doesn't seem likely." Even with as long as it had been, Takumi still missed his older twin sister, though his memories of her were beginning to fade as dew in the morn.

He let out another sigh as he petted the drowsy bird's head, letting go of it. He looked at the flocking birds and they all turned their attention to him. "Go on, now; it's getting to be well past when you should be out. An owl's bound to get you if you stick around." All of the birds fluttered off, leaving him and Oboro alone in the clearing.

He dropped his head onto her shoulder and closed his eyes, hoping and praying that the 29th would pass as quickly as possible. Cami's birthday was still hard on all of them even now.

But he turned away from the dark thoughts as he looked up at Oboro whose gaze fixed on the fire. "...Are you going to try to sleep tonight? It's been four nights since you last slept." His words were soft and she looked at him before rubbing her eyes.

"...I guess I should, huh?"

"I can tell you're overly exhausted from how you're breathing." Yes, they'd been tramping through the forest all day, but her breathing had been slightly elevated since early that morning. In the quiet darkness of his room, it hadn't been hard for him to hear. The lack of sleep was taking its toll on her and he could tell.

Oboro just gave him a sidelong lance before she shifted, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. "It'll be all right, Oboro; I'll watch over you. Just rest now." He passed his lips through her hair and she nodded. It was only a matter of moments before her shallower breaths gave way to slower, steadier ones.

He closed his eyes, trying to swallow the sudden knot in his throat. His own breaths shallowed considerably, so he turned his hearing outward, trying to distract himself from the suffocating silence.

The sound of mice scrabbling through the leaflitter met his ears. He then caught the telltale woosh of air as an owl glided through the trees. The mouse's desperate squeaks spoke of the successful hunting venture. A shrill whinny covered all the other noises and he furrowed his brows. It was a peg—

Another whinny.

No.

A lost fallicorn, looking for its herd. He furrowed his brows even further as he listened, placing the exact cadence and rhythm of the whinnies. It was from the far north, outside even Hoshido's borders and had probably gotten separated while migrating back toward the north. He glanced at Oboro and ran a hand through her hair, murmuring a soft spell to deepen her sleep. He normally wouldn't have used dark magic like that, but he didn't want to wake her.

Takumi closed his eyes again and started singing. It was a crapshoot since it wasn't a Hoshidan-born fallicorn, but it was all he could do to potentially help the lost animal. His voice shook, straining to stay as quiet as possible. He spun the song of the northernmost fallicorns he knew and focused on the melody, soon lost to the depths of the wild mountain winds and stark evergreen forests.

He stopped only when he felt a hot puff of air against his face and turned to his left. The lost fallicorn butted its nose against him and he smiled, patting it gently. "You got separated from your herd huh?" He kept his voice as low as possible, looking at Oboro again. She shifted against his arm a little (he ignored the fact it had fallen asleep some time ago), but she gave no indication of wakefulness.

The fallicorn bobbed its head and he sighed, casting his gaze skyward for a brief moment. "How long have you been separated?" It laid its ears back and snorted, turning its head away from him for a moment and he gave it a hard look.

"I can't help you reunited with them if you don't tell me." After an exasperated huff, the fallicorn shook its head a few times, letting out a soft wicker. Takumi rubbed his chin for a moment as he tried to place the response. The dialect it used was far different than Hoshidan ones, so it was difficult for him to understand.

The fallicorn, no doubt sensing his confusion, repeated the answer as he ran a hand through his hair. "Four days? That'll be hard to track down, but I can ask some of the local herds if they've seen anything." The fallicorn let out a breath and he smiled. "It's no trouble."

Oboro shifted a bit and rubbed her eyes, making the hair on the back of Takumi's neck stand up. "Oboro, I'm so—"

"No, no; it wasn't you. Just—" She sat up fully and her gaze drifted downward. He just nodded and pulled her into side hug, ignoring the prickling in his arm. She didn't need to saything more. "You should try to get some sleep too. It's about midnight." A quick look at the moon revealed her words to be true and his eyebrows shot up. It was that late already?

In the split second of hesitation, Oboro wrapped her arms around him, his forehead rested against her shoulder. "It'll be all right, Takumi; I'll watch over you. Just rest now." She echoed his earlier words and he nodded before drifting off.

They started off normal.

 _Garon and his archers filled the alley. Sumeragi's voice cut through the night, order Ryoma to protect his siblings. Ryoma ordered all of them into a nearby shop, but Takumi held tight to Cami's hand, tugging at it. He begged her to move, but she wouldn't budge._

 _Then he felt Ryoma's arms wrap around his waist as his feet left the ground._

 _Takumi screamed at the top of his lungs as his hand was wrenched away from Cami's. His lungs burned at his protests and he struggled against Ryoma's arms, but he couldn't free himself. He saw Sumeragi's body, filled with arrows, his eyes fixed on them. Blood seemed onto the ground and he heard his father say something, but he couldn't remember what the words were. His eyes remained fixed on Takumi before they glazed over, a twisted mockery of the power and warmth they'd held just hours before._

 _From behind the shop's window, he heard Cami's terrified screams._

 _"Akucha! Akucha!" She writhed in Garon's grip, but even her extraordinary strength didn't work against the monster of a man. She reached for him and he reached back, but Ryoma and Hinoka held him fast._

 _A moment later, his father's twisted corpse lay alone in the silent alley. Those brown eyes remained fixed on Takumi and his siblings, though they were the last thing his remembered._

Then they got worse.

 _A little girl with white hair, styled in a hime cut, clutched a doll with all her might, staring into a pond. "Cami-nee?" Takumi approached, his legs shaking, steps uncertain. She continued staring into the water until he got close enough to touch her. Her blue eyes turned to his amber one, boring into them. The fires of the hells themselves blazed and he took a step back, feeling his heart freeze in his chest. He struggled for breath, stepping back as she advanced on him._

 _"It's all your fault! If you hadn't been there, Yoniicha wouldn't have had to abandon me! I'd still be safe and happy in Hoshido if it weren't for you!" She pointed a finger at him and he gripped his shirt above his heart, his eyes rounder than the moon._

 _Why…? Why was this…?_

 _"C-Cami—" His voice wavered and the ghost of his sister disappeared when he bumped into something._

 _Turning around, Sumeragi and Ikona towered over him. The both folded their arms, their faces twisted like oni noh masks, a thousand times more terrifying than Oboro's own demon face. Their shadows stretched further than he could see, creating a palpable blanket over him. He sunk to his knees, burying his face in his hands._

 _"You'll never amount to anything. The Seiwa name means nothing to you. All you care about are plants and animals, not the people nearest you. No matter what you you say or do, they mean nothing to you." Sumeragi's voiced rumbled, reverberating down to the last hair follicle in his head. Tears rained down his face and his forehead touched the ground until a hand yanked him into the air._

 _Sumeragi had disappeared and he looked point blank at one of Ikona's massive eyes. "Maybe if I hadn't had you before Sakura, I'd still be alive." Her other hand raised and pointed straight at his throat. "You could have at least chosen a more effective method when you tried to do us all a favor." Pain seared across his throat and he tried to scream, but nothing came out. A blade of flame cut deep into his windpipe and flailed, suffocating._

 _His desperation only increased as the flesh melted off Ikona's finger and face, leaving nothing until a skeletal visage remained._

 _"WHY DID WE BOTH DIE FOR YOU?!"_

A scream erupted from Takumi's throat, though it cut off when he felt the tips of Oboro's fingers pressing into his scalp. She massaged the skin with as light but deep a touch as she could manage. He sat there for several minutes, panting as he flushed fresh air into his lungs from the suffocation. He kept as much of his concentration on Oboro's movements as he could, clinging to her tightly with one hand.

Eventually, though, he opened his eyes and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank the gods you're awake; I was so worried when you started saying your parents' names—"

"It was that one. Again." He didn't even need to tell her. By now, she knew all his recurring nightmares. She just gave a small nod and he closed his eyes once again, resting against her. Tears streamed down his cheeks, landing on the hand that gripped his shirt above his heart.

* * *

Actual Disney Princess Seiwa Takumi™

Really, though, all of this seemingly bizarre nature affinity stuff will get explained down the road, probably when he talks to Leo in depth about it.

Also, yes, everyone has last/family names. Dunno how many of them will actually be used though.

The one bit of worldbuilding info which needs explaining is the "concealed form" thing. I have a hard time separating Takumi from the Fuujin Yumi (as it's the only thing he really has left of Ikona aside from a doll she gave him), so I needed a way to let him keep it on him easily at all times. I came up with that and so it's something all of the divine weapons have. It's a fact that'll be mentioned time and again since all of the wielders take advantage of it. If you want a visual, it's just half of the finger hole on the bow. He also uses it as a hair decoration quite often.

So yeah, the nightmares also set the sort of tone for many parts of the fic so there's that too.


	5. Chapter 5

Takumi strained for breath as he pushed against the tree's trunk, gripping the Fuujin Yumi. His eyes darted around the forest and he casted his hearing out as much as he could. He heard the rustle of branches in the warm, early spring breeze, the sounds of mice in the leaflitter, the birds stretching their wings. It seemed like he'd finally escaped—

He let out a loud yelp and leapt back, smacking his head against a low-hanging branch branch when he saw her. It drove him to the ground and the Fuujin Yumi clattered from his hand. He dropped his head into his hands, trying to ignore the ringing in his skull. "Kaasan!" Through his fingers, he saw Eirene keel next to him and felt her place a hand on his head.

"I'm sorry, dear; I didn't think I'd surprise you that much." His stepmother's voice didn't even reach a whisper which he was glad for. At the moment, he could hear even the insects in the grass at the edge of a two hundred meter radius. Sometimes, having hearing so sensitive was hell. He just sighed as he felt the healing magic flow, saying a silent thanks to the Dawn Dragon when the sounds decreased to their normal level.

"It's all right, kaasan; I guess I'm an idiot for thinking I'd finally beat you even once." He gave a lopsided smile, though she frowned at the self-deprecating comment.

"Dear, you're not an idiot; you're the furthest thing from." Eirene wrapped her arms around him and he rested against her, giving a small nod. Given how his tutors had berated him for surpassing them when he'd been four…

The thoughts were shoved to the back of his mind as she pulled back and looked at him, a small smile on her lips. "You honestly almost had me that time; I assure you. Those damn soldiers won't be able to pull the wool over your eyes. Not that they would have been able to in the first place." She cast a glance around and Takumi followed it, but she shook her head. "We're fine for now, dear. You should be able to know how to sense them by now too."

"Of course." Takumi couldn't count the number of times those damned invisible soldiers had made battles against Nohr worse. As far as he knew, he, his siblings, and at least Xander and Leo could see them. What they were, none of them knew and, whenever they seemed to approach an answer, it vanished like morning dew in the summer sun. It frustrated all of them to no end to see what seemed to be mirages, but there wasn't much they could do about it. Eirene and Reiko knew everything about it, of course, since it had to do with whatever mysterious country they hailed from.

"Now, how about the last secrets of my country's archery?" Takumi blinked and nodded vigorously as he picked the Fuujin Yumi, then returned it to its concealed form. He replaced it on its chain around his neck before taking the longbow from her. Using something other than a yumi always felt strange, but he adapted since it was a challenge to overcome.

The next several hours flew by as she covered the most advanced techniques in her archery style. She moved with a fluid, deadly grace that could have only come from someone who had known literally almost nothing but combat her entire life. Plus, he saw the scars that crisscrossed almost every inch of her body. Whatever she had grown up had been hell…and even that seemed like an understatement.

Per usual, he paid rapt attention to each word and movement, asking questions when and where he didn't quite understand. Of course, it led to even more questions and, before they knew it, the sun hung on the horizon.

Eirene sighed as she looked up, her black eyes flickering. "...I really don't want to end. It's been too long since we got to spend time together like this. I don't want to go back to being Mikoto tomorrow." Takumi's eyebrows shot up at the admission. Even when one on one like this, she rarely opened up like this. Why…?

"...Takumi." She turned to face him head on, looking straight into his eyes. "Can you be honest with me? How will you remember me?" He gaze drifted down and one hand curled on her chest. Without even meaning to, he heard her heartbeat jump even further.

"Kaasan, why…? What…? Did you see something while scrying…?" Gods no. She couldn't have foreseen her own death, could she? Even if she had, she wouldn't just roll over and accept it, right…?

She sighed and walked over Takumi, pulling him into a hug and resting her chin atop his head. He rested against her and felt her breathing hitch, then a tear fall onto his hair.

"...Please don't tell the others. I know you're smart enough to have figured it out already even if it seems like a massive leap in logic." So he was right. He bowed his head, trying to swallow the knot in his throat. After losing Ikona and Sumeragi, he had to lose her too? He really was destined to lose everyone he cared about, wasn't he?

"...I'll always remember you as Eirene-okaa-san, not Queen Mikoto. I'll remember the fiery, passionate woman who never backed down from a challenge and raised us with so much care. I won't remember you as the politically passive doormat Queen Mikoto. You did your best with what you had." Takumi hesitated for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in his chest, tears rolling down.

"...I'm so glad. I really am. I love you all so much. Please never forget that, no matter what happens." Even for his sensitive hearing, he almost couldn't hear her. Her voice shook and her thick accent only made it harder to decipher her words. Despite the message...it was almost like she didn't want him to hear. Why…? What had she seen…?

"...Kaasan...can I stay with you tonight? Like otou-sama and okaachan did when I was really young." Even for his fogged memories of his birth parents, he remembered they all piled into the same bed most nights. Ikona and Sumeragi had done it with all of their children to foster a connection with them. He still remembered Ryoma next to Sumeragi and himself squishing against Ryoma, Cami molded into his left, Ikona to the other side of Cami, then Hinoka next to her, and Mikoto next to her…

"Of course, dear… I'd love that." Eirene brushed a hand through his hair, holding him close.

Takumi paused outside of Sakura's room as he listened in, a small smile on his face. He heard Sakura, Reiko, and Hannah all giggling. They were no doubt having a tea party or something. The prince just pursed his lips together, raising a sleeve to cover his mouth. They were in for a surprise.

He tapped on the wood between the paper with his free hand. Sakura, it's Takumi. Mind if I come in?

Please come in, Takumi-sama. His eyebrows shot up when he heard Tsubaki of all people reply, but he shrugged it off. It was definitely unusual for Tsubaki to miss practice with the Snow Wings (not that he himself had much room to speak as they were his unit…). Then again, his duty to Sakura always came first so…

With a smile, Takumi entered the room, not surprised to see everyone dressed in a furisode (even Tsubaki). He covered his mouth with his sleeve again, though his expression softened, becoming downright shy.

"Oh, thank you for inviting me to your tea party, Sakura-sama." Takumi slid into his female alter ego without trouble. He had just planned on showing Sakura the furisode Oboro had just finished, but he never complained about a chance to be Ayano.

"I-It's good to have you here, Ayano-chan." Sakura smiled at her brother as he settled down at the table, pouring him some tea. "Your furisode looks lovely. Is it new?"

"Yes. My seamstress just finished it. It seems like the cherry blossom season will be early this year, so she rushed the order." In the latter case, nothing could have been further from the truth as Oboro had been working on it for months, but he just rolled with whatever came his way. The season would be extremely early that year, though.

As he took the cup from his little sister, he tapped a message against the ceramic. Will you be okay to talk for awhile? He glanced at his two sister and Sakura's retainers since he didn't know how long this had been going on. He didn't want to overload her system by being there or talking too much. He knew better than just about anybody how hard being around too many people for an extended period could be.

Sakura nodded and gave a small smile. I'll be fine; they haven't been here too long. Really, you got here just in time. He breathed a sigh of relief, raising the cup to his lips slowly, watching as Sakura spoke to the trio. He joined in the conversation when prompted or felt he could put in, but he remained silent otherwise.

After about an hour, Sakura put her head down on the table. Hannah, Tsubaki, and Reiko all left and Takumi scooted over next to his sister, rubbing her back with a light touch. You didn't need to push yourself that long. He'd seen her progressively wilting over the past fifteen minutes, but she hadn't said anything. Even with as slow as they'd all moved, she'd gotten overloaded due to how many people had been in the room.

Snuggling into Takumi, she shook her head and he winced when she let out a small sound of discomfort. I hate being such a recluse. You know this is the only way for me to try and overcome it. He felt horrible for how she had to stay indoors all the time, locked away from the world when there was so much she wanted to experience but was left unable to…

Do you want me to help heal the headache a bit? Sakura gave a tiny nod and Takumi put a hand on her head, letting magic flow. Messing with the brain wasn't something he liked doing, but when it came to Sakura…

Anything for his little sister.

She looked up at him for a moment before putting her head back down and moving into his lap. With a soft smile, he wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her head.

Slowly, Takumi. Slowly.

The prince inhaled and focused on the pond, a small orb rising above its surface. Even for all of his affinity with magic and nature, water remained the most difficult element for him to command. Even Hinoka had a better time with it even though she was the least inclined toward magic of the whole family. Then again, she did have Suijin…

"Takumi?"

He yelped as the icy water drenched through every inch of his head and shoulders, making him shiver. Reiko paled and hummed a short melody. The excess water left his clothing and hair, conforming back to the ball he had originally formed. She lowered it back into the pond and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Sorry; I didn't mean to startle you that much."

"It's fine, Reiko-nee; thanks for the help regardless. What's up?" He glanced at her and saw Minoru skulking under a nearby tree, already having a feeling he knew what the problem was.

"Budou-san, you can head back to the castle. Reiko's safe with me." The retainer glared at him, but he said nothing before trudging back to the castle and Takumi shook his head. "That boy takes his job too seriously. I swear even Saizou-san would tell him to lighten up." He rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to his older sister who covered her mouth with one hand, amber eyes shining.

"Thanks, Takumi; Naoki's told him to lighten up, but you're the only one he listens to." Takumi just shook his head and sighed.

"You'd think after six months… Anyway. Was that a new spell I heard you use earlier?" He hadn't recognised the melody and the effects were new to him. It was a high-level spell even he hadn't seen (or managed to figure out) before. "Mind teaching me?"

"Of course not!"

Takumi let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head, adjusting Ryoma's grip on the yumi string a little bit. "See, that's why you have so many accidents with your lightning arrows even after I gave this to you. You need to grip the string right here. You'll lose a little bit of power and accuracy in the shot because of it, but it was the easiest place to keep the string balanced." He glanced down at the branching scars that trailed up his older brother's arms and shook his head. Ryoma was always so reckless when it came to magic user.

"Thank you. Truly." Ryoma smiled down at him before kneeling to his level and putting a hand on his shoulder. Takumi just folded his arms and looked away, sighing as he let himself be drawn into a hug. "This is a big help. I'm sure if you taught all our other archers and the Snow Wings to use it too, it'd be a great help to Hoshi—"

Takumi's head snapped up and he pushed Ryoma away, jaw clenched and amber eyes set as he pointed at Ryoma. "It's always been 'Hoshido this,' 'Hoshido that' with you! Ever since Cami-nee as taken—" Takumi barely registered what he was saying before it was too late. He withdrew his hand and backed up several steps, gripping the fabric over his heart as his eyes rounded. Oh gods—

"Ryoma-nii, I should go—" Takumi caught the slight paling of Ryoma's complexion but he showed no other overt signs of hurt. He still heard the major uptick in his heartbeat, though. Oh gods why had he—? They'd all already been through too much—

Takumi backed up several more steps before he turned around and made to dart away, but Ryoma grabbed the back of his kimono before he could. "Let go!" His voice cracked and shook in tandem with his body, tears threatening to spill over.

Ryoma turned Takumi to look at him and his giant of a brother shook his head. He planted one hand on Takumi's shoulder to ensure he wouldn't be able to get away. The other clasped around the one gripping his kimono, fingers prying it off with all the force of a flower petal on the wind. "...I know I've made bad mistakes in the past, but I'm not about to repeat them. Why would I let you hurt yourself for something that's my fault in the first place?"

Takumi flinched and bowed his head, unable to meet his brother's gaze. No, it wasn't Ryoma's fault; it was all his. "If I didn't act like this in the first place… If I weren't so reactive to everyone…" He shook even more and felt the tears bite at the corners of his vision. No, it was all his fault…

Ryoma just shook his head as he pulled Takumi into another hug. "I should have watched my words more. I'm so sorry."

Takumi buried his face in his older brother's shoulder, ragdolling against him as he sobbed.

* * *

I feel bad for excluding Hinoka from this, but I felt like this chapter meandered enough as it was. She has her own changes that I honestly love her for, but they'll probably get shown later at some point. Plus I feel like this serves as a good enough extension of Takumi's character.

As for what makes Sakura a recluse… She has an interesting form of synesthesia. When she sees movement, she hears it through music. If she sees a tree rustling in the breeze, she hears every leaf's melody so it gets extremely overwhelming for her very quickly. It's led to her staying in her room more often than not. She tries to overcome it, but it's difficult to learn to cope with. She uses Nohrian Coded Sign Language since it's a lot of small, rapid movements that can help her with that. At the same time, it can also be used from a distance or hidden if she's already overwhelmed.

The two characters mentioned in Reiko's segment (Minoru and Naoki) are OC retainers I made up for her. I fucking refuse to believe Mikoto didn't worry about her own niece's safety.

Also Hannah is Hana (if the name similarity isn't enough to tell). This is probably another thing that won't ever be addressed in fic, so I'll explain it here shortly. She was the result of a drunken one-night stand and her mother didn't want her. Her father begged her to let him have the child and she'd never have to be involved in the child's life if she didn't want to be. It was all fine and well for her her since she left.

Hana's father was engaged to a Nohrian woman whom he let name his daughter. She liked the name Hannah so they settled on calling her Hanako (Hana for short) outside of the home in Hoshidan society but Hannah inside their home.


	6. Homecoming

Takumi strained for breath as he pushed against the tree's trunk, gripping the Fuujin Yumi. His eyes darted around the forest and he casted his hearing out as much as he could. He heard the rustle of branches in the warm, early spring breeze, the sounds of mice in the leaflitter, the birds stretching their wings. It seemed like he'd finally escaped—

He let out a loud yelp and leapt back, smacking his head against a low-hanging branch branch when he saw her. It drove him to the ground and the Fuujin Yumi clattered from his hand. He dropped his head into his hands, trying to ignore the ringing in his skull. "Kaasan!" Through his fingers, he saw Eirene keel next to him and felt her place a hand on his head.

"I'm sorry, dear; I didn't think I'd surprise you that much." His stepmother's voice didn't even reach a whisper which he was glad for. At the moment, he could hear even the insects in the grass at the edge of a two hundred meter radius. Sometimes, having hearing so sensitive was hell. He just sighed as he felt the healing magic flow, saying a silent thanks to the Dawn Dragon when the sounds decreased to their normal level.

"It's all right, kaasan; I guess I'm an idiot for thinking I'd finally beat you even once." He gave a lopsided smile, though she frowned at the self-deprecating comment.

"Dear, you're not an idiot; you're the furthest thing from." Eirene wrapped her arms around him and he rested against her, giving a small nod. Given how his tutors had berated him for surpassing them when he'd been four…

The thoughts were shoved to the back of his mind as she pulled back and looked at him, a small smile on her lips. "You honestly almost had me that time; I assure you. Those damn soldiers won't be able to pull the wool over your eyes. Not that they would have been able to in the first place." She cast a glance around and Takumi followed it, but she shook her head. "We're fine for now, dear. You should be able to know how to sense them by now too."

"Of course." Takumi couldn't count the number of times those damned invisible soldiers had made battles against Nohr worse. As far as he knew, he, his siblings, and at least Xander and Leo could see them. What they were, none of them knew and, whenever they seemed to approach an answer, it vanished like morning dew in the summer sun. It frustrated all of them to no end to see what seemed to be mirages, but there wasn't much they could do about it. Eirene and Reiko knew everything about it, of course, since it had to do with whatever mysterious country they hailed from.

"Now, how about the last secrets of my country's archery?" Takumi blinked and nodded vigorously as he picked the Fuujin Yumi, then returned it to its concealed form. He replaced it on its chain around his neck before taking the longbow from her. Using something other than a yumi always felt strange, but he adapted since it was a challenge to overcome.

The next several hours flew by as she covered the most advanced techniques in her archery style. She moved with a fluid, deadly grace that could have only come from someone who had known literally almost nothing but combat her entire life. Plus, he saw the scars that crisscrossed almost every inch of her body. Whatever she had grown up had been hell…and even that seemed like an understatement.

Per usual, he paid rapt attention to each word and movement, asking questions when and where he didn't quite understand. Of course, it led to even more questions and, before they knew it, the sun hung on the horizon.

Eirene sighed as she looked up, her black eyes flickering. "...I really don't want to end. It's been too long since we got to spend time together like this. I don't want to go back to being Mikoto tomorrow." Takumi's eyebrows shot up at the admission. Even when one on one like this, she rarely opened up like this. Why…?

"...Takumi." She turned to face him head on, looking straight into his eyes. "Can you be honest with me? How will you remember me?" He gaze drifted down and one hand curled on her chest. Without even meaning to, he heard her heartbeat jump even further.

"Kaasan, why…? What…? Did you see something while scrying…?" Gods no. She couldn't have foreseen her own death, could she? Even if she had, she wouldn't just roll over and accept it, right…?

She sighed and walked over Takumi, pulling him into a hug and resting her chin atop his head. He rested against her and felt her breathing hitch, then a tear fall onto his hair.

"...Please don't tell the others. I know you're smart enough to have figured it out already even if it seems like a massive leap in logic." So he was right. He bowed his head, trying to swallow the knot in his throat. After losing Ikona and Sumeragi, he had to lose her too? He really was destined to lose everyone he cared about, wasn't he?

"...I'll always remember you as Eirene-okaa-san, not Queen Mikoto. I'll remember the fiery, passionate woman who never backed down from a challenge and raised us with so much care. I won't remember you as the politically passive doormat Queen Mikoto. You did your best with what you had." Takumi hesitated for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in his chest, tears rolling down.

"...I'm so glad. I really am. I love you all so much. Please never forget that, no matter what happens." Even for his sensitive hearing, he almost couldn't hear her. Her voice shook and her thick accent only made it harder to decipher her words. Despite the message...it was almost like she didn't want him to hear. Why…? What had she seen…?

"...Kaasan...can I stay with you tonight? Like otou-sama and okaachan did when I was really young." Even for his fogged memories of his birth parents, he remembered they all piled into the same bed most nights. Ikona and Sumeragi had done it with all of their children to foster a connection with them. He still remembered Ryoma next to Sumeragi and himself squishing against Ryoma, Cami molded into his left, Ikona to the other side of Cami, then Hinoka next to her, and Mikoto next to her…

"Of course, dear… I'd love that." Eirene brushed a hand through his hair, holding him close.

Takumi paused outside of Sakura's room as he listened in, a small smile on his face. He heard Sakura, Reiko, and Hannah all giggling. They were no doubt having a tea party or something. The prince just pursed his lips together, raising a sleeve to cover his mouth. They were in for a surprise.

He tapped on the wood between the paper with his free hand. Sakura, it's Takumi. Mind if I come in?

Please come in, Takumi-sama. His eyebrows shot up when he heard Tsubaki of all people reply, but he shrugged it off. It was definitely unusual for Tsubaki to miss practice with the Snow Wings (not that he himself had much room to speak as they were his unit…). Then again, his duty to Sakura always came first so…

With a smile, Takumi entered the room, not surprised to see everyone dressed in a furisode (even Tsubaki). He covered his mouth with his sleeve again, though his expression softened, becoming downright shy.

"Oh, thank you for inviting me to your tea party, Sakura-sama." Takumi slid into his female alter ego without trouble. He had just planned on showing Sakura the furisode Oboro had just finished, but he never complained about a chance to be Ayano.

"I-It's good to have you here, Ayano-chan." Sakura smiled at her brother as he settled down at the table, pouring him some tea. "Your furisode looks lovely. Is it new?"

"Yes. My seamstress just finished it. It seems like the cherry blossom season will be early this year, so she rushed the order." In the latter case, nothing could have been further from the truth as Oboro had been working on it for months, but he just rolled with whatever came his way. The season would be extremely early that year, though.

As he took the cup from his little sister, he tapped a message against the ceramic. Will you be okay to talk for awhile? He glanced at his two sister and Sakura's retainers since he didn't know how long this had been going on. He didn't want to overload her system by being there or talking too much. He knew better than just about anybody how hard being around too many people for an extended period could be.

Sakura nodded and gave a small smile. I'll be fine; they haven't been here too long. Really, you got here just in time. He breathed a sigh of relief, raising the cup to his lips slowly, watching as Sakura spoke to the trio. He joined in the conversation when prompted or felt he could put in, but he remained silent otherwise.

After about an hour, Sakura put her head down on the table. Hannah, Tsubaki, and Reiko all left and Takumi scooted over next to his sister, rubbing her back with a light touch. You didn't need to push yourself that long. He'd seen her progressively wilting over the past fifteen minutes, but she hadn't said anything. Even with as slow as they'd all moved, she'd gotten overloaded due to how many people had been in the room.

Snuggling into Takumi, she shook her head and he winced when she let out a small sound of discomfort. I hate being such a recluse. You know this is the only way for me to try and overcome it. He felt horrible for how she had to stay indoors all the time, locked away from the world when there was so much she wanted to experience but was left unable to…

Do you want me to help heal the headache a bit? Sakura gave a tiny nod and Takumi put a hand on her head, letting magic flow. Messing with the brain wasn't something he liked doing, but when it came to Sakura…

Anything for his little sister.

She looked up at him for a moment before putting her head back down and moving into his lap. With a soft smile, he wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her head.

Slowly, Takumi. Slowly.

The prince inhaled and focused on the pond, a small orb rising above its surface. Even for all of his affinity with magic and nature, water remained the most difficult element for him to command. Even Hinoka had a better time with it even though she was the least inclined toward magic of the whole family. Then again, she did have Suijin…

"Takumi?"

He yelped as the icy water drenched through every inch of his head and shoulders, making him shiver. Reiko paled and hummed a short melody. The excess water left his clothing and hair, conforming back to the ball he had originally formed. She lowered it back into the pond and rubbed the back of her neck.

"Sorry; I didn't mean to startle you that much."

"It's fine, Reiko-nee; thanks for the help regardless. What's up?" He glanced at her and saw Minoru skulking under a nearby tree, already having a feeling he knew what the problem was.

"Budou-san, you can head back to the castle. Reiko's safe with me." The retainer glared at him, but he said nothing before trudging back to the castle and Takumi shook his head. "That boy takes his job too seriously. I swear even Saizou-san would tell him to lighten up." He rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to his older sister who covered her mouth with one hand, amber eyes shining.

"Thanks, Takumi; Naoki's told him to lighten up, but you're the only one he listens to." Takumi just shook his head and sighed.

"You'd think after six months… Anyway. Was that a new spell I heard you use earlier?" He hadn't recognised the melody and the effects were new to him. It was a high-level spell even he hadn't seen (or managed to figure out) before. "Mind teaching me?"

"Of course not!"

Takumi let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head, adjusting Ryoma's grip on the yumi string a little bit. "See, that's why you have so many accidents with your lightning arrows even after I gave this to you. You need to grip the string right here. You'll lose a little bit of power and accuracy in the shot because of it, but it was the easiest place to keep the string balanced." He glanced down at the branching scars that trailed up his older brother's arms and shook his head. Ryoma was always so reckless when it came to magic user.

"Thank you. Truly." Ryoma smiled down at him before kneeling to his level and putting a hand on his shoulder. Takumi just folded his arms and looked away, sighing as he let himself be drawn into a hug. "This is a big help. I'm sure if you taught all our other archers and the Snow Wings to use it too, it'd be a great help to Hoshi—"

Takumi's head snapped up and he pushed Ryoma away, jaw clenched and amber eyes set as he pointed at Ryoma. "It's always been 'Hoshido this,' 'Hoshido that' with you! Ever since Cami-nee as taken—" Takumi barely registered what he was saying before it was too late. He withdrew his hand and backed up several steps, gripping the fabric over his heart as his eyes rounded. Oh gods—

"Ryoma-nii, I should go—" Takumi caught the slight paling of Ryoma's complexion but he showed no other overt signs of hurt. He still heard the major uptick in his heartbeat, though. Oh gods why had he—? They'd all already been through too much—

Takumi backed up several more steps before he turned around and made to dart away, but Ryoma grabbed the back of his kimono before he could. "Let go!" His voice cracked and shook in tandem with his body, tears threatening to spill over.

Ryoma turned Takumi to look at him and his giant of a brother shook his head. He planted one hand on Takumi's shoulder to ensure he wouldn't be able to get away. The other clasped around the one gripping his kimono, fingers prying it off with all the force of a flower petal on the wind. "...I know I've made bad mistakes in the past, but I'm not about to repeat them. Why would I let you hurt yourself for something that's my fault in the first place?"

Takumi flinched and bowed his head, unable to meet his brother's gaze. No, it wasn't Ryoma's fault; it was all his. "If I didn't act like this in the first place… If I weren't so reactive to everyone…" He shook even more and felt the tears bite at the corners of his vision. No, it was all his fault…

Ryoma just shook his head as he pulled Takumi into another hug. "I should have watched my words more. I'm so sorry."

Takumi buried his face in his older brother's shoulder, ragdolling against him as he sobbed.

* * *

I feel bad for excluding Hinoka from this, but I felt like this chapter meandered enough as it was. She has her own changes that I honestly love her for, but they'll probably get shown later at some point. Plus I feel like this serves as a good enough extension of Takumi's character.

As for what makes Sakura a recluse… She has an interesting form of synesthesia. When she sees movement, she hears it through music. If she sees a tree rustling in the breeze, she hears every leaf's melody so it gets extremely overwhelming for her very quickly. It's led to her staying in her room more often than not. She tries to overcome it, but it's difficult to learn to cope with. She uses Nohrian Coded Sign Language since it's a lot of small, rapid movements that can help her with that. At the same time, it can also be used from a distance or hidden if she's already overwhelmed.

The two characters mentioned in Reiko's segment (Minoru and Naoki) are OC retainers I made up for her. I fucking refuse to believe Mikoto didn't worry about her own niece's safety.

Also Hannah is Hana (if the name similarity isn't enough to tell). This is probably another thing that won't ever be addressed in fic, so I'll explain it here shortly. She was the result of a drunken one-night stand and her mother didn't want her. Her father begged her to let him have the child and she'd never have to be involved in the child's life if she didn't want to be. It was all fine and well for her her since she left.

Hana's father was engaged to a Nohrian woman whom he let name his daughter. She liked the name Hannah so they settled on calling her Hanako (Hana for short) outside of the home in Hoshidan society but Hannah inside their home.


	7. Boring War Talks and Exposition

Yeah this chapter ain't so exciting after that initial bit, but it has some stuff that needs covered. There's at least two little Leokumi interactions here so...yay? The Leokumi starts en force next chapter, I swear on my 3DS. I just...needed to get all the setup shit out of the way.

I am so sorry it takes over 15k to get there.

* * *

"Leo!"

Camilla's call made the prince stop mid-attack and he reined Aylenan around, an arrow fletching kissing his ear. The horse whinnied and he squeezed her sides, urging her into a gallop. It was rare for Camilla to call to him like this so why…?

His heart stopped in his chest when he saw Cami standing in the middle of the field, gripping the reins of a true white pegasus in her hand. Ryoma made a gesture to the Hoshidan forces in the immediate area to hold their fire as did Xander, though the battle still raged outside of the bubble, though the sounds didn't reach Leo's ears. He saw Cami shake, her head darting back and forth between both sets of royal siblings and he exchanged glances with Camilla, Xander, and Elise. They had all known this day would come due to what Arete had said, but it still hadn't prepared them for what Cami would almost no doubt choose.

After a moment, Camilla dismounted Marzia and strode forward, folding her arms. "...Cami, do whatever you feel in your heart is right. We won't blame you if you leave us. We deceived and lied to you for over a decade. Plus, after what Garon did to you, I don't think any of us would blame you." She kept her tone even, but Leo saw her shift her weight back a little—the tell that she didn't fully agree with what she said.

"K-Kaneecha…" Cami's voice wavered as she backed into the pegasus, seeking some sort of solace. Leo's throat tightened as he looked at the Hoshidan royals, then his eyes darting to Elise. She quivered, gripping her staff tightly.

"If you wish to return to the people that raised you, then go ahead." Ryoma's grip on Raijinto slackened a little and he backed away a few steps. Even over the din of the skirmishes, Leo managed to hear Cami let out a sound of distress. She remained motionless, her grip on the reins tightening. He saw Ryoma shift a little and his eyes darted to Xander, though he said nothing more and Leo just furrowed his brows.

After several more moments of pure stillness, Leo heard Elise let out a soft exclamation in Garoux, then she strolled forward. Her purple eyes blazed as she looked at both sets of siblings. "Just join forces for the gods' sakes! I know you—" She pointed at Ryoma. "—want to protect him—" She jabbed her thumb at Xander. "— so just get off your damned high horses, embrace your friendship, and be done with it. There's a bigger threat here than either Nohr or Hoshido and I'll be damned if I let Mama Arete, Mama Katerina, and Aunt Eirene's sacrifices be in vain!" The air clouded and Leo felt he could cut the air with his rapier.

Everything remained tense as Xander and Ryoma looked at each other, then the Hoshidan crown prince cast his gaze to Camilla and nodded. "You know how I don't want to do anything to harm your family, Camilla. We can protect you and the rest of your siblings." Leo just furrowed his brows. Even as for as desperate as they were to dispose of Garon, surely she wouldn't—

"Honestly, it's about time you made the offer, Ryoma. I was starting to think you'd never have the backbone to." She rolled her eyes and Ryoma just ignored the comment as he strode over to Xander. His elder brother nodded and reined his horse around.

"Nohrian soldiers, the Hoshidans are no longer our enemy!" Xander's voice rang loud and true over the battlefield, though it didn't reach every ear. Leo put his fingers in his mouth and let out a shrill whistle. Just a heartbeat later, Lilyana touched down next to him and he mounted. Taking to the air, he caught Xander's eye and nodded before Xander continued his speech with Leo repeating everything word for word.

"We face an enemy much greater than ourselves. The time has come for us to stop living in the shadow of fear under the tyrant that calls himself king. We will cower no longer! I, Prince Xander Naess, in agreement with Princess Camilla Naess, have joined with the Hoshidan army. Prince Ryoma Seiwa promises no harm will come to any Nohrian soldiers that join us in our fight. Any that stand with Garon will be seen as the enemy and treated accordingly, however."

By the time Leo finished repeating Xander's words, he doubled over in a coughing fit, tears rolling. Fire scorched every inch of his throat and he struggled to hold onto Aylenan's mane. Normal speech caused needles, but yelling forced him to to swallow lit napalm.

He felt himself slip from her back and her shrill whinny rang in his ears. He squeezed his eyes together, waiting to hit the ground, but instead, his descent slowed and a felt of arms caught him. Blinking, Leo saw Takumi glaring down at him, but the Hoshidan's grip held tight.

Start squirming and I'll paralyse you again. Leo just stared up at Takumi, wide eyed as he used Nohrian Coded Sign Language. What…? How did he…? Only the Nohrian royal family and those close to them should—

Then again, Xander and Ryoma seemed to know each other quite well if their reactions were anything to go off…

But why?

And how?

Leo just gave a meek nod as he sat still as best he could, though he kept coughing. He froze when he felt Takumi put a hand on the front of his neck, but relaxed when he felt healing magic soothe some of the flames.

Why?

Whenever he was sick, Takumi did what he could to help ease Leo's suffering if even for a moment. Between all the times Takumi had used his ice magic to cool his fevers, healing magic to close wounds until he could get to Elise and now this…

"Tch." The Hoshidan prince just let out a sound of disapproval.

Ryoma would have my hide if I let you get hurt. Plus, we're allies now. I'd rather not have Camilla split me in two with that axe of hers.

Takumi's pegasus touched down and René ran over, water skin already out. Leo dismounted and coughed again, the fire blazing through his throat anew. "Easy, Prince Leo." The archer's deep voice managed to get him to focus long enough to sip from the waterskin. For once, he welcomed the bitter mixture, though René forced him to take slow, small sips. It put out the fire in his throat, though residual pinpricks remained. It was far better than previous at any rate.

René tucked the waterskin back into one of the pockets in his cape and Leo turned to Takumi, his eyebrows shooting up. He stroked Lilyana's nose and spoke to her in Nohrian, though Leo couldn't make out the exact words. Black pegasi were unruly and hard to handle at best, but when they were so bonded as Leo and Lilyana, it was nearly unheard of for them to tolerate anybody else handling them. She tolerated behind handled by his siblings and their retainers, but anybody else? He was lucky if it didn't end up in blood being drawn.

René cleared his throat and Takumi's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing a little. Leo folded his hands behind his back, straightening to the best of his ability. He withdrew one and placed it on his chest, beginning to tap out his message. Thank you very much for your assistance, Prince Takumi. I owe you a great debt for all of the times you and your family protected me from Hoshidan forces when I've taken ill. Leo knew the cold, hard mask he projected to so many wouldn't work on Takumi as the other prince seemed to see straight through him, but he'd be damned if he wouldn't try.

Takumi just rolled his eyes and thrust Lilyana's reins back into Leo's hand, staggering back a little bit from the force. "I'd just rather not have Camilla cleave me in two like she's done with some of my friends." Leo shrunk under the harsh gaze and into René, honestly grateful for the fact the other prince mounted and took off a moment later.

René wrapped an arm around Leo and he looked up at his retainer. His gaze followed Takumi for a moment before he looked down at Leo. "We should go report to Princess Camilla and see where we stand in all of this." Leo nodded his agreement and straightened up, petting Lilyana's nose. With them joining the Hoshidans, leo really didn't have any idea of his position any longer. He'd been Nohr's chief tactician since the age of nine, but with how Ryoma was, he would likely take over command of much of the army. He shivered at the thought of meeting the ferocious crown prince, but he squared his shoulders, gripping Lilyana's reins as he strode across the field and over to Xander, Camilla, Ryoma, and Hinoka. He fought the urge to press into his big sister in the presence of the ferocious Hoshidan royals when his head barely came to Ryoma's shoulder.

He froze when both prince and princess reached into their uniforms, though blinked a moment later when they withdrew small books. Ryoma motioned for Leo to open his palm and he did so and they both placed a few pressed flower petals in his hand. A yellow rose petal from the prince and ones from an amaryllis, elderflower, phlox, and verbena from the princess. Friendship, then shyness, compassion, harmony, and cooperation…? He furrowed his brows and looked back up at them, not sure what to make of the messages. They were versed in Nohrian floriography, not just hanakotoba…

A small blush came to Hinoka's face as she scratched her cheek. "Sorry for all the nasty comments I slung your way during battles, Leo. I really don't think you or your siblings are scum… If anything, I should be thanking you for keeping Cami company and raising her in our absence… But everything I said was just the heat of battle, y'know?" Her blush grew and she rubbed the back of her neck. "Since we're allies now, maybe we can be friends? If nothing else, I hope we can get along." Leo just stared in disbelief for several moments until he nodded and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Anyway, I gotta go help take care of the wounded!" She hustled away and took off on her pegasus, leaving the royal quartet alone.

Ryoma turned to face Leo and he swallowed but the giant knelt down to his level. "I'm sure you're anxious to learn what your position will be now that we've joined forces." He gave a gentle smile and Leo nodded a bit, his gaze flicking to Camilla. She just gave him a reassuring nod, so he turned his attention back to Ryoma. "Camilla told me you'd be worried about your position as Nohr's chief tactician. It won't change at all, but I was thinking of appointing Takumi to help take the strain off you." Leo's eyes widened and he backed up half a step, shaking his head. He'd seen glimmers of begrudging kindness from the other prince, but working with him so closely? He wasn't sure he'd even survive a single session, let alone the entire war.

"...I'll have Hinoka help then, but given he's commander of our most elite Sky Knight unit, you'll have to discuss tactics with him at some point. He's not as bad as he makes himself out to be." Leo's gaze flickered to Ryoma and he brought Brynhildr across his chest, shaking. He really didn't believe Ryoma's claim due to just how poorly Takumi had treated him.

You're so useless.

Nothing but a burden.

Absolutely worthless.

Why don't you just stay off the damned battlefield if you're going to have us protect you?

Tears bit at the corners of Leo's eyes as he remembered the knives Takumi twisted into his heart whenever he had been forced to protect him.

He blinked them back but nodded, keeping Brynhildr pressed against his chest. The Snow Wings were Hoshido's trump card and would likely prove invaluable in the fight against Garon and their wider foe. He really had no choice in the matter, so it was best to just accept the reality for what it was.

Ryoma stood up and walked back over to Camilla and Xander, though Leo fidgeted with Brynhildr and Camilla looked over. "What's wrong, dear?" He looked down and away before taking a breath.

Prince Takumi… He used Nohrian Coded Sign Language when he caught me earlier. How does he know it? There really was no point in hiding it. He had to know why the prince, so famed for his hatred of Nohrians, knew something that, logically, only the Nohrian royal family should.

Plus, he's always said Prince Ryoma would tear him apart if anything happened to me. What's going on…?

Ryoma and Xander exchanged glances. Ryoma sighed and rubbed both temples with one hand before giving Xander a look. Even without words, Leo could tell he meant 'you haven't told him?' Xander just ducked his head a bit before shaking it. His older brother let out a sigh before shaking his head.

"We have to get the new camp set up." Leo sighed and his shoulders dropped a bit as he nodded. It was a legitimate point. It was well past midday and they needed to combine the Nohrian and Hoshidan camps.

Over the next several hours, they did just that. The Hoshidans moved in right next to the Nohrian forces. Leo felt like he walked through a stagnant forest on a muggy summer day due to the tensions from both sides, but there wasn't much that could be done about it. He was just glad to get out of his armor—light leather though it was—and headed out to the war tent where Elise of all people had called them together. A quick glance around revealed Ryoma, Hinoka, Cami, and Takumi along with his siblings and…

"Aqua?!"

The woman's head snapped up and he coughed, his whole body shaking. Embers tore through his throat again and she walked over, putting a hand on his neck. The embers gave way to a soothing sensation and he smiled at her, getting one in return. He'd only been three when she'd been kidnapped by Mikoto, but he could still remember glimpses of her face through fever-addled blackouts.

"...It's been Reiko for quite some time now, but it's good to see you again. I'm glad to see Mother helped you pull through everything." A hint of sadness entered her eyes at the mention of Arete, but she hugged him regardless and he returned it. He couldn't really blame her since he, Camilla, and Xander had gotten more attention from Arete then she had.

What are you doing here? I've never seen you on the battlefield before now so— He followed her gaze toward Elise and he furrowed his brows. Elise had only been one when Reiko had been kidnapped so what…?

Reiko let go of Leo and walked toward the front of the tent. Elise had her arms folded, brows drawn together tightly. After a moment, though, the little girl took a deep breath before beginning her speech.

"I would like to apologise for my uncharacteristic explosion during the battle earlier, but I needed to ensure we joined forces. As I mentioned then, there's a common enemy we face. It's a greater threat than even Garon but, unfortunately, I can't tell you what it is until either we defeat him or your individual divine weapons deem you able to carry the burden. Reiko and I know the truth of everything like King Sumeragi, Mama Katerina, Mama Arete, and Aunt Eirene before us." The Hoshidan siblings, then Xander, Ryoma, and Camilla exchanged glances. He shot a look at Cami who reflected just as helpless as he felt. Whatever this secret and hidden enemy were had led Queen Katerina and King Sumeragi knowing each other somehow. Leo had known she'd spent a lot of time in her youth in Hoshido due to the extensive knowledge of the country's language and songbooks she had but…

Elise then turned her attention to Reiko and Cami, casting a quick side look at Hinoka. "Princess Hinoka, I need you and Reiko to escort Cami to the Sevenfold Sanctuary in Notre Sagesse." Hinoka's eyes flew open and she looked at Elise like she'd grown a second head.

"You want me to take my completely green sister through one of the most dangerous challenges known to man?! Xander, otou-sama, Queen Katerina, and Queen Arete might have made it through but you expect Cami to—"

"Do you really not have that much faith in my abilities, Koneesa?" Cami's voice barely carried above Hinoka's and her gaze drifted down. Hinoka looked like she'd just jumped out of her skin. It was strange to see the feared warrior princess so rattled.

Hinoka's hands came up and she shook them back and forth frantically along with her head. "I-I didn't mean it like that, Cami! I just—" She smacked her forehead and took a breath, no doubt trying to calm herself. "What I meant was that only four people have ever made it through for a reason. The enemies there are stronger and more experienced than probably me, Ryoma, and Takumi combined could handle." The aforementioned prince glowered and folded his arms. "Just from the tales otou-sama told me and Ryoma… It won't be easy especially with just the three of us."

"Perhaps the Snow Wings can spare a couple of members to assist?" Elise's gaze fell on Takumi who gave an exasperated sigh.

"Fine. Choose whoever you want." Gods, he was acting like such a spoiled child. How was he one of Hoshido's premier minds and warriors? The silver-haired prince huffed and looked away. Leo just shook his head and looked back to Elise.

"Xander, Prince Ryoma, until further notice, I'll be your consulting general." Ryoma's head snapped up and gave several small shakes as though lightning had just struck him.

"Princess Elise, I realise you have knowledge we don't but—"

"I said until further notice. Berand, Xander's great-grandfather, is already on his way. Aunt Eirene contacted and told him about what was approaching. He has more practical experience with our enemy than I do, so he'll be more effective than I am in the long run. But for the short term, my knowledge will suffice." Elise's tone left no room for argument and Ryoma fell silent.

Even Leo had to admit he was impressed. He knew Elise could handle herself in political negotiations (if her relations with the Wolfskin, Ice Tribe, and Darkness Tribes were anything to go off), but this was an entire level he didn't know existed in her grasp. To silence the crown prince of Hoshido when it was something even Camilla in all her ruthlessness struggled with…

Leo shook his head and left the tent, able to sense the clear dismissal. Hinoka jogged out and disappeared while Cami simply wandered out, lost in the war camp. He smiled at her, inviting to walk with him, but she shook her head.

"I'm sorry. I normally would, but…"

It's all right; I understand. He gave her a warm smile and she managed a small one in return. We brought your pegasus just in case we ran into you. She's with the rest of the Dark Falcons' mounts.

"Thanks." She gave a small bow before heading off to fetch her mount.

It left Leo alone and he sighed, looking around. He knew he should probably go do war prep for any upcoming battles but the chances of large-scale ones were minor. Garon might have the generals' loyalty, but Xander had the common soldier. They'd no doubt be getting more joining their ranks on the march against Garon, so it honestly left Leo with very little to do even as chief tactician.

Shrugging, he headed into the Hoshidan side of camp. He did his best to ignore the hard stares from the soldiers, but relief flooded over him when he saw René and Marius flank him from out of the shadows.

"Did you really think we'd let you wander into enemy territory without protection, Prince Leo? Only the gods know what would happen if we did." Marius' words held an edge Leo didn't quite understand, but he was grateful to his retainer anyway. René remained silent, arms folded as his single eye scanned the crowd.

It didn't take too long after that to find where the Hoshidan pegasi grazed. His eyes lit up and he slowed his approach. A rainbow of colors and markings moved around him and he smiled. The sheer variety in Hoshidan pegasi astounded him. Nohr had only the unruly black ones the Dark Falcons rode and, even then, they were limited to the unit for the most part. Keeping domestic stock of the long-lived animals put too much strain on the resource-poor nation, so one could only join the ranks if they managed to tame one.

A soft song caught Leo's attention and snapped him out of his childlike stupor. His ears strained to make out the words, but the soft voice shook, so he couldn't make anything out. He followed the source and froze when he saw Takumi. The animals flocked around him as if entranced by the song. Even the fallicorns—notoriously more picky than Nohrian blacks—gathered around him, bumping their noses into his shoulders and hands. He glimpsed a few kinshi on the outskirts of the herd as well.

Leo had never seen anything like it before. Sure, Elise could take a wild wyvern with no trouble and he'd seen Berand get any Nohrian black to cooperate with him, but to draw them in through song?

He'd never seen or read about the effect even in all of Queen Katerina's magical songbooks.

A fallicorn butted its nose into Leo and he stumbled forward, almost bowling Takumi over in the process. He heard the other prince let out an exclamation of surprise and Leo scrabbled back, eyes wide and face devoid of all color. He prepared for Takumi's scorn, but received a good-natured eye roll and smile in response.

"Geeze, you sure are clumsy." Leo simply blinked and stared as he shook. Where was the anger? Was he delaying it? Why? What game was he playing? Was it just like Garon when he didn't punish him one time just so he could double down the next—

The same fallicorn bumped into his shoulder again, though just enough to get his attention. He swallowed, raising a shaking hand before patting between its eyes. Takumi let out a soft whistle and Leo jumped into its neck.

"I've never seen Sayaka go up to anybody but Keiko before. Even my songs have no effect on her. You have a gift for them too." Leo hazarded a glance at the Hoshidan prince. The warm smile looked far too genuine to be fake. His shoulders sloped at a relaxed angle and he saw nothing in his posture that hinted at hidden or mal intents. Was this...really the same man that had berated him so many times in the past?

Leo gave a slow nod as he returned Brynhildr to its concealed form, clipping it to his collar. He then started tapping the toe of his boot into the ground. (With all of the pegasi milling about, maintaining visual contact was a little difficult.)

Yeah. I've always had a special gift with them. Ever since my first interaction with them at four, they took a liking to me. Leo tapped slowly and deliberately, choosing his words carefully. He didn't want to say something that Takumi might be able to use against him in the future after this encounter entered. The pleasantness never lasted too long.

"I've had a special bond with them since I was three. I remember okaa-chan taking me out to the pasture and then going up in the air bareback. It's probably why I prefer riding without a saddle when reasonable." His smile brightened further and Leo blinked. Compared to his siblings, he couldn't read people anywhere near as well as them, but he might have been wrong. He swallowed and shifted before tapping his boot against the ground again.

I should go. I need to do some equipment checks for the Dark Falcons in case of a surprise battle. It was a lie, but he didn't want to risk Takumi's anger.

"All right. Have a nice evening." The warm smile remained and Leo darted off.

Was Takumi actually that nice? Ryoma had said he wasn't as bad as he seemed on the surface. When combined with the prior flashes he'd seen, maybe he had been telling the truth...or maybe he was just fooling himself and looking for kindness where there was none.

Only time would tell.


	8. Chapter 8

I don't have much to say other than let the Leokumi (finally) commence. I'll probably throw in the odd interaction between Leo and someone else just to give myself a little bit of variety while writing. I love writing Leo and Takumi's interactions a lot but I still need some variation.

* * *

Leo found himself swamped in the next few days.

Most of the Hoshidans (understandably) didn't know anything about Nohr or its geography, so he'd been assigned to help show them. Ryoma had studied it at length as had Takumi, but Hoshidan maps could only do so much. He'd spent many an hour over the past few evenings with the foreign princes, explaining about the routes he planned to get them to Windmire and into Castle Krackenburg. He knew the country top to bottom due to his extensive travels over the past six years and the only person that knew more was Xander. Queen Katerina had traveled with him around the country as a child. He would have helped, but he had charged himself with training the Hoshidan forces in Nohrian tactics and techniques.

Leo had been apprehensive about meeting with Takumi (even with Ryoma present) but he remained quiet in the meetings for the most part. He asked question to be certain, but they were all based around tactics and geography, much to Leo's relief. There were a few odd questions thrown in about local vegetation and herbs, and it took every ounce of self-control Leo had to not launch into tirades about the plants. The look on Takumi's face remained impassive, so it was impossible to tell if he had ulterior motives beyond wanting to know for medical reasons.

After that night's meeting, he let out a sigh when he remembered he had cooking duty. Tactics meetings with Ryoma and Takumi proved exhausting due to looking for any sign of aggression from the foreign princes, but he'd been placed on cooking duty. It wasn't usual for him, but he just wanted to curl up in Camilla's arms. But his mean (and even the Hoshidan ones) had placed their lives on his shoulders, and he'd do whatever necessary to ensure Garon's defeat.

Squaring his shoulders, he headed to the kitchen and looked over the ingredients, running through his mental list of recipes. The Nohrians had been eating the same things over and over for the past month, so maybe he could spice it up with some Nestra food. They had the ingredients for several recipes, and with the extra supplies the Hoshidans had brought in, it opened up even more possibilities.

Leo let out a small sound of surprise when he felt someone bump into him, though all color left his face when he realised it was Takumi. The Hoshidan prince rubbed the side of his neck, giving a small half smile before holding up his hands. "Sorry, Leo; I didn't realise you were on cooking duty tonight too. I can leave if you'd like me to." Leo raised his eyebrows a bit. Takumi was trying to put him at ease? It made sense to be civil in the tactics meetings since he'd harped on Ryoma chewing him out if something happened to him, but in the kitchen?

After a moment of hesitation, Leo swallowed and gave a slight shake of his head. He kept his gaze focused on Takumi's chest since it would give him the most warning should he try something physical. He raised one hand to tap on his chest, fingers slow as he chose his words. _Do you think you could teach me some Hoshidan recipes? I've only gotten a chance to try a couple in my life._ With Nohr so resource deficient, they couldn't exactly grow rice or many of the foods found exclusively in Hoshido.

Takumi actually _smiled_ at him and nodded, making a move toward some of the food. Leo flinched and retreated a few steps at the quick motion, swallowing a knot in his throat. He saw Takumi blink and he held his hands up again. "Sorry for startling you. I didn't mean to." His voice dropped and Leo blinked as he looked at the other prince. Just...what was going through his head? He hadn't snapped in the few days they'd been allied, but it was really only a matter of time.

He smiled and motioned for Leo to follow him to the counter. Leo hovered in his spot for a moment before doing so. Each of Takumi's movements were clearly slow and calculated, though it only made his head spin even more. Had… Had he really just adjusted to his freak out? It had been instinctive since fast movement often acted as precursor to physical aggression so…

Leo shook his head and snapped out of it, listening as Takumi talked. He had a surprising array of recipes stored away (not that Leo had any room to talk himself) and explained how to cook them all expertly. He kept his movements as slow as possible and Leo managed to actually find himself relaxing a little bit. He did everything Takumi told him down to a T and got another warm smile out of him.

"You're really good in the kitchen. I'm guessing you cook a lot?"

Leo froze for a moment at the unexpected comment and wondered if he should reply. He didn't want to arm Takumi with knowledge he could use against him, but maybe if he opened up a little, it would decrease the chances of being snapped at again. He bit his lip before releasing a breath. He really didn't want to give him more ammunition but…

Leo put his tongue to the ridge behind his teeth and started clicking. (He was thankful for how versatile Nohrian Coded Sign Language was.)

 _With how often I get sick, I tend to cook most of my own meals. I try to keep ingredients as fresh as possible since older ones have higher risk of contamination. Of course, it's hard with how Nohr is, but I manage thanks to Brynhildr and her magic._ With the short growing season, Leo had had to get very creative with magic to help ensure he had fresh food as often as possible. He had several rooms tucked away in abandoned wings of the castle dedicated solely to cultivating fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables. He's started on it after he'd recovered from his bout of fever following Arete's execution since she'd no longer been able to ensure fresh food for him. It'd taken him three years to fully sort out even getting help from Brynhildr's spirit.

He caught Takumi nod out of the corner of his eye. "I can understand that. Stale ingredients are awful, but there's only so much you can do during war too, unfortunately. Ryoma-nii will do what he can get fresh ingredients from Hoshido, but the further we get into Nohr…" Leo looked at Takumi a little more, his knife work slowing.

 _...Really?_ Takumi glanced over at Leo and blinked before nodding.

"Of course. Ryoma-nii will bend over backwards to make sure you and your siblings are cared for. Gods know he wouldn't want to disappoint otou-sama or Queen Katerina." Takumi's knife came down harder than before and Leo jumped, back away half a step. The silver-haired prince raised his hands to Leo, a bit of color drained from his face.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Apology after apology tonight. It felt…surreal to hear Takumi apologise so much. It really reminded him of…himself in a big way. Every small mistake felt like the end of the world especially if it hurt somebody.

Did Takumi feel the same way?

No.

There was no chance.

With how he attacked people, there was no way. Plus, Leo knew he deserved it. He was nothing but a burden and a mistake. Garon and the court had ensured that he knew it. What use was a prince that shied at the slightest conflict and fell ill at every turn?

Tears welled in his eyes and he wiped them away, though he felt Takumi's hand on his shoulder a moment later. A soft smile graced his face and he looked almost ethereal for a moment. With his free hand, he helped wipe Leo's tears away and placed a gentle kiss on his head.

"Take a few minutes and cheer up, okay? We don't want anybody thinking we were fighting because of the food being bitter, right?" Leo blinked and nodded a bit. Peri had the same philosophy that feelings affected the end result of cooking, so it didn't take a genius to figure out what Takumi meant. Well, it made sense why he was being so kind now.

He had been foolish to think the other prince was being so nice just for his own sake.

It was a nice, fleeting hope.

Leo felt his tears dry a few moments later and shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind. The rest of the time passed in silence, almost as if Takumi sensed he didn't want to converse. Leo was thankful since she didn't trust himself to not devolve into sobs from the darkness in his mind.

He gave Takumi a slight bow and dismissed himself before going to Camilla's tent and curling into her arms.

Leo stirred sometime later and glanced out of the tent, seeing the dark blanket that cloaked the camp. He saw neither hide nor hair of his older sister, figuring she had gone to check on Marzia or something else. Tugging his boots on, he headed back to the war tent. He pulled the atlas down, studying the ways they could attack again. They were making a bold statement by just waltzing up to Windmire but perhaps…

"You're up awfully late." Leo inhaled and let out a small sound when he heard a voice. His head snapped up to see Takumi walking in, a plate in one hand and a blanket draped over a shoulder. He swallowed and gripped the book a little tighter, drawing his knees into the chair. Oh gods, what did he want?

Takumi pulled up another chair and plopped down, setting the plate in front of Leo and draping the blanket of her his shoulders. Leo just stared up at him, wide eyed, and Takumi just ruffled his long hair.

"Look, Elise told me you'd probably be in here at some point and asked me to make sure you ate." He folded his arms and looked away, letting out a small huff. Leo gave a small sigh and nodded as he looked at the plate for a few moments before going back to the maps. He had a lot to plan and not much time to do it, so he really couldn't afford to—

" _Leo_."

He looked up at Takumi who gave him a stern look. He shrank a little under his raptor-like gaze and the other prince sighed before putting a hand on his shoulder, his features softening. "Look, I know you're under a lot of pressure and have a lot on your shoulders, but it's no excuse to not eat. With as delicate as your health is, you need to keep your strength up. The arm needs you and you don't want your siblings to worry, right?" Leo looked down at the maps, his knuckles turning white before he nodded, closing it, then setting it aside. He found it hard to get more than a few bites down and the flavors turned to ash in his mouth.

Of course.

He sighed and shoved the plate away, picking the book up. Whenever he started worrying about an important battle, this always happened.

And _every_ battle was important to him.

He reached for the book again, but Takumi swiped it away, eliciting an actual _glare_ from Leo. _Give that back. I need to plan for everything ahead of us._

"Hmm. I thought I saw some interesting notes in here earlier…" Takumi started flipping through the pages and Leo made a grab for it, but the Hoshidan prince just held it up. Takumi had just enough height on him that his fingers brushed against the pages. The moccasins Takumi wore also gave him the height advantage over Leo's inflexible riding boots.

Leo huffed and sat back down while Takumi just just smiled, settling next to him again. A blush formed on Leo's face and he sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He couldn't believe just how utterly childish Takumi was being over this. He'd made an attempt to eat, but he'd already known he wouldn't Why was he pushing so hard to have him eat?

"Hey Leo. What's a zinnia?" Takumi had flipped to the back of the book which served as a comprehensive guide to all of the plants Leo had encountered over his travels and where they could be found. He simply blinked and looked over at him.

 _I think you'd call it hyakunichisou in Hoshidan…_ From there, Leo the conversation devolved into a question and answer game, comparing and contrasting flower names across the languages. Takumi clearly knew a lot about plants since most of the Nohrian names didn't come as a surprise to him. He just smiled the entire time, pushing the questions deeper into their uses in Nohr. Leo couldn't help but get excited and soon found himself smiling, signing almost ad nauseum.

Eventually, his cheeks blossomed with color and he stopped, dropping his hands into his lap. _S-Sorry about that._ He brushed some hair out of his face and Takumi just shook his head.

"It's all right; I _did_ ask after all." He gave Leo a gentle smile and Leo's blush only grew when he heard his stomach growl. The other prince gave a soft chuckle before he sat the book down and slipped out of the tent. Leo shook his head, downing the plate before getting back to his tactics.

What had just happened?


	9. Chapter 9

Over the next week and a half, a strange schedule emerged for Leo. Due to the lack of sleep, Leo often found himself in the war tent, pouring over maps and ensuring their plans were set should they run into resistance. They didn't so Leo knew it was pointless, but fortune favored the prepared.

In the early mornings and late nights, Takumi slipped in with food. Leo still found it difficult to eat, but the Hoshidan prince managed to distract him enough so that he could do so. The portions were small, but it was better than nothing.

Leo always found a blanket draped over his shoulders whenever he awoke from an impromptu nap.

As he sat in the tent one evening, the flap rustled and Leo's head snapped up. A soldier saluted and stood at attention, though he could hear the man's armor rattling. "At ease, Reginald. What seems to be the problem?" Leo folded his arms behind his back, fingernails digging into his flesh. It helped distract him from the pain of a thousand needles in his throat if nothing else.

The man relaxed, though he glanced out of the tent as if worried something would hit him. "S-Sire, there's a crazy woodsman asking for you. Prince Xander assured me he's okay but…" Leo heard his knees literally knocking together and his eyebrows shot up. Had Berand really spooked the soldier that much? He came across as mostly harmless, so how…?

"Thank you, Reginald. You're dismissed for the evening." The soldier nodded and wobbled out of the tent. Leo waited a few moments and head to where the pegasi grazed, then darted over to the side where the Nohrian blacks congregated. He coughed and panted when he reached Xander and his great-grandfather, but Berand picked him up, spinning around. Leo let out a silent laugh between coughs and short gasps, though he had ground beneath his feet a moment later.

The seventy-seven-year-old scratched at his beard, his sun-bleached hair glowing in the sun. "Gods, Leo, you didn't need ta kill yerself so hard to get ta me." He gave him a scolding look, but it passed after a moment and Leo smiled as he ruffled his hair. "Good ta see ya again, though, beansprout. How where's yer war tent? I figure I should see what kinda strategies, you, Elise'n Princess Reiko are conjurin' up." Leo just blinked at the mention of Reiko. As far as Leo knew, Berand never really left his forest in western Nohr. But he nodded as he led the way back to the war tent, Xander clinging to his great-grandfather.

Leo pulled out his atlas and started explaining his plans to take over Windmire. The woodsman paid rapt attention, but he sighed afterward. "Son, these are good plans but did you forget about the silent soldiers and Faceless? Don't forget about the silence that permeates every bit of Nohr."

Leo's gaze drifted down and nodded. He had honestly forgotten about both, though the silent soldiers made his life even more of a living hell than the Faceless. He'd been so worried about Garon he hadn't considered them. He gripped his hair and sighed, shaking his head. He was a tactician, so he couldn't believe he'd forgotten. What good was he if—

Berand placed his hand on Leo's shoulder and shook his head. "Yer smart, son, but you've got fish to fry in Windmire especially from what that old coot Siegfried told me. Yer only fourteen so don't beat yourself up." Xander and Leo both stared at Berand at the revelation. Only a wielder should have been able to speak to the weapons and yet…

" _Leo, all will become clear later_." Brynhildr's spirit brushed his mind and he nodded, swallowing a little. What was with all of the secrecy? Why couldn't they know now? It hurt to think Elise was strong enough to bear what it was, yet he and the others weren't… What made her so special?

He wiped a few tears away and looked back up at Berand. The woodsman gave him a gentle push forward to the front of the tent. "Go on; you shouldn't be spending all your time cooped up in this damned tent. Go go on and spend some time with your siblings, retainers, or whoever. Stressing yourself out over this won't do you or anybody else any good."

Leo didn't need to be told twice and disobeying Berand wasn't the smartest of ideas, so he left out and headed back to the pegasi. He saw a knot forming to the right and smiled a bit. There were only two people they'd flock to like that and he wouldn't mind spending time with either one of them. With the fallicorns gathering, though, it wasn't hard to eliminate his little sister.

"Takumi!" He ignored the burning in his throat as he approached, but he got no response. How odd. Takumi always responded when somebody approached especially out here in the pasture…

"Hey Takumi!" He felt embers pour down his throat, but he ignored it.

"What is it?!" Leo stopped dead in his tracks when Takumi snapped and he heard that all too familiar harshness. He backed up a few steps and saw Takumi's eyes widen owlishly. He raised a hand, though it stopped halfway, hesitating. "Oh… Oh gods Leo… I'm…" His voice died in his throat and he backed up before darting away.

Leo just stood there, staring at where Takumi had disappeared from. It… It had been an accident if his reaction was anything to go off. There was nothing to be upset with. Yes, he'd reacted badly, but it was just natural. With all Garon had done to him…

He sighed and his shoulders sagged as he entered Camilla's tent. Thankfully, she was there and he crawled into her lap, butting his head up under his chin. "What's the matter, dear?"

 _Takumi accidentally snapped at me, then bolted._ Leo closed his eyes and nuzzled into his older sister's neck. He really hated how flinched at every little thing especially when it came to people raising their voices, but it was instinct by this point. All he could do was stand there when Garon struck him. Trying to flee or flinch away only resulted in the whip cracking across his frail body. He shuddered the thoughts away and Camilla brushing her hand through his hair swept them away like the tide.

"It'll be all right, Leo; people make mistakes." Leo nodded, but looked up at his sister a moment later.

 _Do you know where his tent is?_ Camilla pursed her lips together for a moment before shaking her head. Even over the past two weeks, none of the Nohrians had been able to place where Takumi's tent was. Even the Hoshidan ninja had trouble keeping track of him half the time if Cami's words were to be believed. She had apparently seen him almost vanish into the depths of the forest while she'd been in Hoshido and training with him. Her exquisitely sensitive hearing hadn't even been able to keep track of him.

He really was Hoshido's best warrior.

Leo stayed wrapped in Camilla's arms until the stars glittered against the onyx cloak. He bade his sister farewell before heading to the war tent, peeking around the flap and his eyebrows shot up.

Takumi's soft breathing filled the empty tent, his head rested against his outstretched arm. Two plates of food sat in front of him and chopsticks lay over the plate at the end of his outstretched hand. Leo's throat tightened upon the realisation he had yet to see Takumi sleep before this. How had he been so blind? But the other prince was a master of manipulation and redirection; he supposed it made sense he hadn't noticed yet. With how much attention Takumi lavished on him…

Slipping inside, he picked up the blanket that sat on Takumi's lap and draped it across his shoulders before opening his atlas. The scratching of his quill filled the air and he sighed as he looked at the maps. They'd reach a village in five days' time and he could only imagine the response from the Nohrian citizens. The fact the siblings had let the Hoshidan army into the country without so much as a fuss would—

Leo's head snapped over when he felt a hand on his arm and saw Takumi rubbing his eyes. "Leo, you need to eat." His words slurred a little as he stretched and sat up straight. For a brief moment, Leo could have sworn Takumi's eyes glassed over, but it passed so quickly he wasn't sure he had seen it or not.

 _Are you all right?_ Considering his earlier reaction, Leo couldn't help but worry.

Takumi just stretched, taking the blanket off and draping it around Leo's shoulders as he nodded. "It's nothing to worry about; I just overreacted like usual. Are you all right?" He reached out, slow as could be, and Leo tensed a little. Takumi stopped dead about ten centimeters from his face before pulling back, looking down and away. "Leo, I'm—"

Leo grabbed Takumi's hand and rested it against his cheek, though a faint blush came to the Nohrian prince's pale cheeks. He just closed his eyes and shook his head, nuzzling into his hand. _It's not your fault. It's mine for being such a coward._ Leo knew nobody could get close to him physically. After the repeated beatings and assassination attempts, there wasn't much he could do about how he flinched and tensed up.

He felt Takumi withdraw his hand and then placed it back on his cheek. A bit more warmth rose as he nuzzled into the other's now-exposed skin. He was so warm. Without one of his fevers, it felt nice. He couldn't stop a small smile from forming on his lips and he heard a soft sound of amusement from Takumi.

"My body temperature runs a little higher than normal, so I guess it feels nice to you since you're so used to the Nohrian chill, huh?" Leo cracked his eyes and saw a gentle smile on his lips, a bit more color entering his cheeks. Takumi's melted-honey eyes made him let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, though he closed his eyes a moment later. He gave a small nod and he felt his head drop a bit. "Are you okay?"

 _Just a bit tired. Campaigns are never kind to me_. He'd barely slept over the past two weeks due to how stressed he was over storming Windmire. He didn't want any of his men to die unnecessarily since so many of them had families to return to. Plus, with how Elise spoke, Garon was only their first of many worries. There was a much bigger threat lurking someone in the shadows and what it was, he had no idea. If they lost too many men against Garon, then—

Leo looked up at Takumi when he put a hand on his head, once again meeting his honey-hued gaz. "One step at a time, okay? Stressing over everything at once won't solve anything." From the way he spoke, it almost sounded like it was from experience. Then again, he did lead the Snow Wings so…

Leo's face blossomed a brilliant shade of crimson when Takumi pulled him into his arms, resting his head against his chest. "...Get some sleep. You haven't had much since we joined forces. You'll be safe; I promise."

* * *

Please let me take a moment to address an issue that's honestly bothering me as the author.

I feel like I'm making Leo out to be an idiot when he's supposed to be intelligent while I'm making Takumi smarter.

This discrepancy comes from their temperaments and upbringing. Both of them care about people a lot, but Leo is far less outgoing than Takumi is. A lot this ties into the fact that he's spent much of his life bedridden due to bouts with illness and fever. He's still very intelligent but his intelligence is more _specialised_ and _theoretical_ than Takumi's. He focuses mainly around tactics, magic, nature, and music. These are topics I don't personally know much about (barring magic) and I doubt people want to read lengthy discussions on war tactics or medicinal plant properties in a shipfic just for me to show Leo being intelligent.

Takumi is far more outgoing than Leo is (even if he's still extremely cautious). He's spent much of his time out and about with people and in nature, so much of his knowledge is more _practical_ than Leo's. He's expertly attuned himself to reading people and being able to use whatever he reads off them (for good or for ill). He still has a lot of theoretical knowledge on tactics, magic, and nature, but he deals more with _people_ than _facts_.

This is just one of those things that's difficult to explain without going into lengthy history or characters spewing exposition and I'd rather avoid a repeat of chapter seven in the future if at all possible.


	10. Chapter 10

So this chapter has a battle. It's...really short and beyond subpar because I'm not good at writing combat. Sorry for the buildup with little payoff.

I'll also be doing Camp NaNoWriMo during July and this was the last chapter in my backlog. I'm not abandoning this fic but I might only get one or two chapters up during the month. I'm working on prewriting for a large project I've been working on for years, so that's where my focus will be.

* * *

Leo groaned when Takumi nudged him. "Your grandfather's here to tell you something." His ears strained to make out the words, but he managed a small nod as he slid onto his feet, then moved into the chair next to Takumi's. Berand's blue eyes danced with amusement as he took a drag off his medicinal herbs.

"I should probably—"

"Yer the leader of the Snow Wings and Ikona's child, right?" Takumi stared at Berand, frozen mid-push out of the chair. Leo looked at the man, eyebrows raised. How in the gods' name did he know that? He'd only been in camp for a night and yet…

"You really need to stay for this." Berand's eyes narrowed a little and Takumi pulled his knees to his chest, pressing into Leo. He felt him shaking and Leo place a hand on one of Takumi's arms. He took it and Leo winced a little from the tight grip, but he didn't say anything otherwise. Berand could be terrifying when he wanted to be, Leo supposed.

"I didn't bother you two last night since you needed to rest, but we're in for a battle today. I saw a group of summoners not too far away last night. Looks like Garon's planning a sneak attack with some Faceless." Leo squeezed Takumi's hand as he felt his head spin and let it drop onto one of the other prince's shoulders. His eyes shut tightly, tears stinging the edges of his eyes. Berand had mentioned the Faceless the previous night, but it had been so quick he'd barely registered it. But to face a group of summoners…

 _What's the matter_? He cracked one eye and look at Takumi before sighing. There really was no avoiding it.

 _I-I…had a hand in helping create those abominations…_ Leo started moving away from Takumi, but he placed his free hand on his head, keeping him in place. Tears slid down his cheeks and his whole body shook. Those things had terrorised Nohrian and Hoshidan civilians alike for eight years because of him. He'd unlocked the final key to truly artificial life for that bastard Iago so they could circumvent Mikoto's barrier. How could he _ever_ be forgiven for such an atrocity?

He felt a gloved hand run through his hair and he saw Berand to his right. "Sorry, beansprout." Leo nodded and rested against his great-grandfather which made Takumi release his hand. He blinked and looked at the other prince who stood and stretched.

"I'll go get some breakfast and be back in a few since we have tactics to discuss." He ruffled his hair and sighed, letting out a small cough. Leo looked at Takumi who just shrugged, not even needing Leo's unspoken question. "I'm fine, so don't worry about it." He raised one hand and then disappeared into the camp. Leo just drew his brows together and looked at his grandfather whose expression mirrored his own.

"I don't believe for one damned second he's fine, but if he's as prickly as Yumi says, it's best not to bring it up. And Princess Hinoka and Princess cami aren't here to help either, so that one retainer'a his—Oboro, I think Yumi called 'er—is our only real hope in this matter." Berand just sighed and ran a hand through his hair before shaking his head. "Anyway we need ta start planning so let's get to it."

Leo just gave Berand a sidelong glance. How in the Dusk Dragon's name did he communicate with the divine weapons? Only their rightful wielders should have been able to. It just made no sense. Yes, Brynhildr had assured him everything would become clear in time but…

Berand sighed again. "Kiddo, let's just say that Queen Arete had my allegiance before that damned monster _ever_ has."

...Oh.

That explained a lot.

Not quite enough to satisfy Leo's curiosity, but it was enough to explain at least a few things.

He just nodded before pulling the atlas out as he fell into questioning the elderly woodsman about what he'd seen. Seven summoners with a battalion of archers and mages. Leo bit his lip. It might not have seemed like the biggest threat, but the summoners worried him. With the ability to summon up to two dozen Faceless at one time and the durability and strength they had…

Dear gods.

Even with the combined forces, it likely wouldn't be the easiest battle. The summoners would no doubt be using the strongest breed of Faceless which were comparable to sixty average soldiers. If they used Stoneborn, then that made things even worse. Worth seventy-five of the average soldier, then add in their ability to immobilise from a distance, and their rugged strength…

They were looking at potentially the equivalent of over ten _thousand_ troops without even taking the archers and mages into account. He'd faced some ridiculous odds against the Hoshidans before, but never anything of this magnitude. If Garon was going all-out so soon, it really didn't bode well for the rest of the war. Leo prayed that Xander's and Camilla's presences would sway the archers and mages away from Garon, but there was no guarantee. If they saw the siblings as traitors to their country or if the fear of Garon kept them fighting against the bulk of the army…

Leo felt a hand on his head and looked up to see Takumi sliding in next to him, then sat a plate in front of him. "I know it's hard for you to eat while you're stressed, but if you need it at any point, now is the time. Especially since you didn't last night." He couldn't even refute the words, but he just turned his head away. His stomach knotted so tightly that he was certain even a single grain of rice wouldn't fit in it.

"C'mon beansprout. At least try a bit. You don't want Elise getting on your case, do you?" Leo flinched and shook his head, managing to down the small portion. Elise might have been sweet, but she wasn't to be underestimated. Considering she'd silenced Ryoma just a few weeks prior, he'd rather not risk her ire.

He pushed the plate aside as he looked at his grandfather. He simply nodded before trotting out of the tent to retrieve Ryoma, Xander, and camilla. Leo then turned back to Takumi who ran a hand through his long hair. "This is going to be one hell of a battle, huh?"

 _You have no idea_.

* * *

Lilyana's hooves pounded and Leo felt her wings strain, but a hand on them kept her aground. The heard the sounds of mages casting spells, out cries as arrows felled men, thundurus boulders clashing. Lilyana shifted and the fletching of an arrow scraped his ear ear and he gripped her reins, knuckles white under the pressure. The earth reverberated even beneath her and he instinctively dropped to her neck. Her shrill whinny drowned beneath the deafening boulder.

Leo gripped the tome to his chest and let out a breath, one hand raising above his head. "O Holy Dawn, cleanse the earth of these atrocities. Allow the land to rest in its true place. Purify the darkness and cast it from the Dusk!" He closed hsi eyes, feeling them water beneath the tightness. By this point, he was so familiar with Lustrate that he knew it would temporarily blind anybody that saw it. He sent a silent apology to his allies in the immediate area, but it was the best counter to the Faceless, Stoneborn, and their summoners.

He heard the screams as the light shone and his throat tightened as he panted, feeling the magic leave his body. It was so taxing, but since he was the only one that could use it…

Leo forced himself back astride in the saddle, seeing everyone in the immediate area on the ground, hands over their eyes, both friend and foe alike. Small craters sat where roughly thirty of the Faceless had been and three of the summoners cried out about the blindness.

Leo turned his attention to the remaining four and reined Lilyana around, his sharp gaze on them. "Retreat now and take the message to the king that we won't stop until he's dead and Nohr is in our hands. We will defeat anything he throws at us." Malice dripped off each word and the summoners paled. His throat burned, but he refused to back down and the four ran away. With all of their tomes disabled for the next forty-eight hours, they had no choice but to go by foot. The din of the battle quieted with the monstrosities gone and Leo let himself double over into a coughing fit, bracing himself with one arm.

He jumped out of his skin when he heard a loud thud beside him. His head snapped up, eyes wide as he scrabbled off Lilyana's saddle, falling onto his knees next to Takumi. The Hoshidan prince panted, cheeks flushed and Leo pressed a hand to his forehead, though he recoiled a moment later. What in the Dusk Dragon's name?! He'd just had a small cough that morning; he shouldn't be this bad…

"Healer! I need a healer over here _now_!" He tried to ignore the lit napalm in his throat, but a harsh cough sent his head reeling and off into darkness.

* * *

Leo snapped awake with a sharp inhale and looked around, recognising the inside of his tent instantly. René sat in a chair, flipping idly through one of his magic books, offering him the waterskin with his free hand. The familiar bitterness made Leo wince, but it soothed his throat. He let out a sigh and started to sat up, though the archer put a hand on his shoulder to keep him laying down. He narrowed his eyes, but René didn't flinch in the slightest.

"Prince Leo, you really ought to remain lying down. Using Lustrate like that wasn't a good idea even with—"

"T-Takumi…" He curled up in another short coughing fit, though it passed after a moment. He couldn't shake the worry for the Hoshidan prince and he just heard René sigh.

"Very well." René stood up and supported Leo. His head spun, but he steeled himself and willed focus. He couldn't entirely ignore the spinning, but his worry for Takumi made it easier to do so. He felt the Hoshidans stare and he wanted to shrink under it. They knew him as the terrifying, ruthless tactician, but now… They could all see him for what he truly was. He normally hated anybody seeing him so vulnerable and needing help, but right now, all he cared about was making sure Takumi was all right.

Surprisingly, René took him to a tent tucked away from the rest of camp, near where the Hoshidans kept their normal horses. No wonder none of them had been able to find it.

To his surprise, Elise of all people looked over Takumi, her eyebrows furrowed. Leo opened his mouth to speak, but a sharp look from René silenced him. "What's the matter, Princess Elise? Is there something wrong with him?"

"…Actually, just just the opposite. I mean he had some nasty injuries from the battle and the fall he took, but other than that, there's nothing physically wrong with him. His lungs are clear, his heart is fine and strong, and even after all of the diagnostic spells, he's perfectly fine. I don't understand what's going on…" Elise shifted and Leo couldn't help but feel like she was hiding something. What it was, he didn't know other than some sort of emotional issue. It was kind of a given, though, with how he'd been in the war for the past five years.

Leo then turned his attention to Takumi. In the intervening time, the flush in his cheeks faded and his breathing regulated. The fever seemed to have faded as quickly as it had appeared. How bizarre.

The Hoshidan prince stirred and Leo's eyebrows shot up. His eyes snapped open and he held the blanket as high as he could, face drained of all color. "H-How much—?" His gaze settled on Elise, pupils dilated as far as they could go. She narrowed her eyes and he froze. Eise had seen something she wasn't supposed to. Even for as poor as Leo was at reading others, he wasn't blind.

"With Hinoka-sama gone and Sakura-sama back at Castle Shirasagi, Ryoma-sama asked me to check on you. I won't break your confidence regardless. It would be _highly_ unprofessional. You're awake and I can't find anything else wrong with you, so I'll take my leave. I'll be back to check on you in the morning." Elise bowed and walked past Leo and René, leaving Takumi to turn his attention to them.

"…You…came to check on me?"

"Prince Leo insisted. I'll sit outside so you can speak in—"

"You damned fool!" All eyes turned to the angry woodsman that entered. Takumi shrank on his cot, bringing the blanket up just under his eyes as he shook. Berand strode across the tent and Le's jaw dropped when Berand's hand landed straight across the Hoshidan prince's cheek. The sound reverberated through the small tent and all Leo could do was stare. He knew Berand's combat abilities were feared through Nohr, but he'd never seen him get physical with somebody like that before. Even René stood there, slack jawed and stunned into silence.

"You ought to have known better than to use the Fuujin Yumi like that here in Nohr! Yumi's told me about your intelligence, but I didn't think you be such a damned, reckless fool!" Takumi retreated under the blanket into a quivering mess, pulling the pillow over his head. "I didn't expect one of Sumeragi and Ikona's children to be so _stupid_!" With that, he turned to Leo, his expression softening a little, though not by much.

"Leo, this _idiot_ is not to be allowed in any battles while we're here in Nohr. I'll be telling Ryoma the same thing." He let out a breath before stalking out of the tent. All Leo could do was stare for several moments before René settled him down in a chair and slipped outside. He hesitated for a moment before starting to click.

 _Takumi_?

After a small shift, he saw Takumi peer out from under the pillow. Leo offered him a soft smile and he pulled himself out from under the covers, though, he kept the blanket high across his neck. He offered Leo his right hand so it would be easier to communicate. _Are you all right_?

"I will be. I just…need some time to recover from that." Takumi let out a sigh and closed his eyes, his entire body sagging. It was…strange to see him so vulnerable. Leo was used to him being the terror of the battlefield and Nohrian soldiers quaking in their boots. He couldn't count the number of defenseless healers Takui had picked off during battles. He was a monster to Nohrians and the most reviled member of the royal family among the soldiers.

But now…

He looked so weak and helpless.

Leo gave his hand a small squeezed, trying to bring him some level of comfort. There was no reply and he just looked away. _Would you prefer if I got one of your retainers?_ He really didn't know what good he could do. It was apparent Takumi didn't trust him, reviewing their past interactions. Takumi hadn't really revealed anything about himself other than their interests overlapped considerably. It was always about Leo or whatever topic Takumi pulled out. He couldn't remember one time the other prince had shared a single detail about himself.

Leo had been a fool to think they might have been becoming friends.

To his surprise, though, Takumi shook his head and looked at him. "I'd rather not Oboro or Hinata fuss and fret." He closed his eyes again and let out another sigh. "Plus, I'm sure you're curious what all of this was about…and it relates to how I use magic." Leo's eyebrows shot up at that. Yes, he had always been curious. The ability to change and adapt the Fuujin Yumi's elemental properties had always mystified him. It could do essentially whatever he required it to. Leo had even see it paralyse and knock me people unconscious, all without a mark on the body or any negative repercussions on the victim.

Leo gave a slow nod. _I am but you don't have to tell me if you don't want to._ It seemed like a rather large secret and he didn't want Takumi to tell him something he didn't want to. The curiosity ate at him, but he wasn't heartless.

Takumi just stared at the ceiling of the tent, gaze unfocused. He let out another heavy sigh before shaking his head. "It's all right; Leo. Considering everything, you ought to know." He let go of Leo's hand for a moment and put his index and middle fingers together. A scroll floated off the shelf and into Takumi's hand, though he placed it on the covers next to him before taking Leo's hand again.

Leo just stared. How in the Dusk Dragon's name—?! Not even his mother had been able to do that and she had been the strongest mage in Nohr, bar none! Even Iago had feared her before her execution!

"…Okaa-chan—Queen Ikona to you—could use magic like this too. Not eveen kaa-san—Queen Mikoto or maybe even Eirene to you—could without the use of music. Not even Reiko-nee can." Considering how his mother had spoken of her sister's abilities, Leo couldn't help but be surprised. The entire Spiros family was the most powerful magic in the world, bar none. Cami didn't quite measure up to her aunt or mother from the sound of it, but given their abilities had been through ceaseless combat and Cami's disinclination for it…

"Long story short: this sort of magic can't be learned through classical theory. It requires _years_ of being out in the wild, away from human contact. Literally the only way I can describe it is 'befriending' the force of magic itself." He gave his head a weak shake. Leo really didn't know what to make of it.

"It's like…it becomes a part of you and you it. You interface with it in on a level nobody else knows is possible. Nature responds to you in ways you didn't know could happen." He gave a small, hoarse laugh. "Sorry this is all so obtuse. It's like trying to describe sight to the blind."

Leo gave Takumi a faint smile and squeezed his hand. _It is hard to grasp, but that's what makes it interesting. Maybe you could teach me after the war_? An entirely untapped, unexplored way of using magic? How could he not be excited at the prospect?

"I'll need a few months to decompress and recover first. This…is actually why I'm sick. There's something… _wrong_ with Nohr. The flow of its magic… There's something disrupting and poisoning it and the land as a whole. It's like poison to me." He brought his other arm up, resting it over his eyes. Leo's brows just furrowed at the revelation. Nohr's land was sick and something powerful was behind it? Could whatever was behind the that also be—

Leo let out a small sound of annoyance when the thought slipped between his fingers like sand to a stream. It had happened plenty of times before in regards to information from his mother, but never like this. It meant he was definitely onto something but he couldn't remember any of it. Gods, what was going on?

But he just nodded as he shoved the thoughts away, giving Takumi's hand another squeeze to bring him any sort of comfort. There was no response and Leo let out a small sigh. Takumi had done so much to help him, and here he sat in a position where he could do the same. Yet his inexperience with people left him unable to do anything to help. Gods he hated—

No.

He _could_ help.

 _Hey, do you think you could tell me what you know about pegasi_? That made Takumi lift his forearm a bit and glance over, Leo just giving an encouraging smile.


	11. Chapter 11

"—And that's why kinshi are such feathery assholes." Takumi's eyes lit up in a way Leo hadn't seen before. He could get excited while talking about plants, but nothing like—

Takumi sat up a bit, his smile vanishing and cheeks a little pale as he looked at Leo. "Shit, Leo; get out of here before—" Leo blinked and looked over at the tent flap when it rustled and shrunk into René's grasp under her gaze.

"Leo-dono, René-san, I would suggest you leave _now_ so I can attend to Takumi-sama." Oboro's voice _froze_ the entire inside of the tent and Leo felt René's grip on him tighten. The woman looked about ready to roast them alive. Leo shook in René's grasp but he felt his retainer's tense nod.

"Let's go, Prince Leo." His face _burned_ as René pulled him into a bridal carry out of the tent, but his feet met the ground a short distance later, an arm wrapped around hi waist. He just buried his face in the man's shoulder, his fingernails breaking through the fabric of his shirt. What had he done to deserve that? If anything, Oboro should have thanked him for helping cheer her lord up but—

"You should get some sleep. It's been a long day and you overexerted yourself." Leo wished he could deny it, but he ragdolled against René. He gave a weak nod and clung to the older man, eyes burning as he felt the hard stares from the Hoshidan.s Apparently, where Takumi made his tent wasn't a secret to them, so they knew who he'd gone to see. René just kept a tight hold on him, expression _daring_ anybody to try something. Thankfully, nobody did, and Leo collapsed in his tent after sitting on the rough cot.

* * *

Somehow, Leo wasn't surprised when he felt air rushing past his face coupled with the telltale bob of wyvern wings. Normally, he would've helped break down camp, but he'd entirely missed it and just snuggled deeper into Camilla's arms. He felt her brush her lips through his hair and looked up at her. A faint smile adorned her face and he returned it as best he could.

"Using Lustrate really killed you, huh?" Her voice barely reached above its usual whisper and he nodded as he closed his eyes. Developing the spell had been hell, but he hadn't expected just how taxing it would be to actually use it. It was nothing compared to what Iago had done to him over the years, but still…

He let out a breath and ragdolled against Camilla, unable to support his weight. She gave him a gentle squeeze before his head lolled to the side, the wind singing him to slumber.

* * *

Leo looked around to see the inside of his tent again. René sat next to his cot, head bobbing a little. He brushed his fingers over his knee and the man snapped awake, scanning the area before relaxing and smiling. "Good evening, Prince Leo. Are you feeling any better?"

He pushed himself into a sitting position, thankful the world didn't spin. He still felt heavy, but he nodded. René placed a plate in his lap and downed the food. Even with the looming stress of Windmire and other battles crawling ever closer, after not eating the whole day, he couldn't deny his body the nutrition it needed. He pushed himself off the cot and headed to the war tent, starting on his usual plans.

The hours ticked by and he frowned when he realised Takumi hadn't shown up yet. He usually appeared by now to distract him so he could eat and they talked. It'd been this way for two weeks now, so where…? Well, he could still be feeling weak from taking in Nohr's poisonous magic, so he couldn't blame him for it. Of course, he also didn't seem the type to rest easily either so…

He put his quill down and traced his steps back through the Hoshidan camp to where Takumi's tent should have been, but the spot stood empty and he gripped his pants. Perhaps he'd made it elsewhere? Takumi was very unpredictable, so it was possible, yet the way the Hoshidan soldiers had acted the night before… It suggested this was his usual tenting spot so…

Where was he?

Taking a deep breath, he plunged back into the camp and headed for Ryoma's tent. He jiggled the flap and Ryoma looked up from his desk, giving Leo a warm smile. "Please come in, Prince Leo." A slight shiver went down his spine, but he steeled himself and sipped slipped in, taking a seat in an open chair Ryoma pulled out for him. "What can I do for you tonight?"

Leo ran a hand through his hair before starting to tap with his free one. _Where's Takumi_? He couldn't help but worry about his new…friend. With what Takumi had shared with him last night…he hoped it was an accurate label.

Ryoma just frowned and sighed, putting his brush to the side. "Unfortunately, it seems like he's running away at the moment, so I'm uncertain." He interlaced his fingers and rested his chin atop them. Leo just blinked at the comment. Takumi…running away? That was the _last_ thing he'd expected of his friend. He seemed so strong and self assured. Why would he…?

"I have a feeling I know what's running through your head, but I won't break my little brother's trust." Emotion flickered through the giant's eyes, but what they were, Leo wasn't sure. Regret? Fear? Sadness? Ryoma's shoulders dropped a bit, so all he could be certain of was they weighed on him greatly.

 _Is there anything I can do to help? I know Akiba-san can probably handle this better than I can, though…_ He dropped his gaze to his lap before closing his eyes. Yes, he had helped distract Takumi the previous night, but he'd just turned the tactic he'd learned back on him. Actually _comforting_ someone was beyond him since Camilla and Elise claimed that skill.

"All I can suggest is trying to talk to him, but be warned: he'll try to wall you out." Leo's head snapped up, though his expression crumbled and Ryoma sighed. "I'm sorry, Prince Leo. My brother is just very…guarded." He shifted in his seat and Leo shook his head, falling silent for a few moments until he signed again.

 _...If he's going to guard himself, is there anyway around it?_ Leo didn't want to set their relationship back by this and he just… He just didn't want to lose Takumi. He could sense the loneliness and didn't want Takumi to push him out of his life because of fear. Looking back, he started to see the cracks, but he forced his thoughts away to look back at Ryoma.

The elder prince pondered, a hand covering his mouth until he gave one slow, cautious nod. "...He's normally hard to catch off guard, but there is one surefire method. He drops his guard in places he feels safe in tandem with focusing on one activity. Try sneaking up on him when he's practicing archery. On the campaign trail, that tends to be in the very early morning hours around three or four. Normally, I wouldn't divulge this information to anybody, but I know it's out of concern and you won't use it to hurt him." Ryoma gave him another warm smile and Ryoma's cheeks heated a little. The man really reminded him of his sister in a lot of ways, but he nodded. "And knowing how he is, he's likely to be starting earlier than that tomorrow morning and going until camp starts to rise."

Leo put both of his hands on his legs, bowing to Ryoma as low as he could before pulling back up. _Thank you_.

"You're welcome…Leo. Is it okay for me to call you that?" His cheeks warmed further, but he managed a small smile and nodded. Ryoma returned the gesture and Leo excused himself, slipping into Camilla's tent.

He explained what had happened and that he wanted her to wake him up around two. He had slept the majority of the day away, but Lustrate had still exhausted him. Of course, his sister gave another faint smile and nodded, pulling him into her arms. "You know I'll be awake anyway, so it's no trouble, dear. Would you like one of Mama Katerina's lullabies to help?" Leo nodded and closed his eyes, listening to the gentle melody and surrendering to the magic's effects.

* * *

Leo groaned and forced his eyes open when the gentle shake roused him. Camilla's purple hair flooded his vision and a gentle kiss on his forehead helped rouse him further. He unfurled and stretched, wincing at the soreness in his muscles. "Good evening, my little star." She smiled at him and patted his head, ushering him out of the tent.

Glancing up, Leo saw the time was around three, so he inhaled before heading over to the Hoshidan side of camp. He heard René stalk the long shadows after him, but he made no fuss a as he made a straight course for the Hoshidan archer practice range. He stopped in the shadows of the entrance and heard the distinct sound of arrows hitting a target, though the lack of a bow string's hum made him raise an eyebrow.

Peeking around, he squinted, trying to make out anything in the eerie pitch darkness. How in the gods' names could _any_ archer operate—

Okay, so, his grandfather and René could, but they came from western Nohr; it was expected. But a _Hoshidan_ archer? The only one gne good enough (to his knowledge at least) was…

René slipped up to Leo's side and peered into the range for a moment before nodding. "There's not too much to be wary of. Go about fifteen paces forward, thirty right, then twenty left. You should be within about two-thirds of a meter within him." He flashed his retainer a smile before following the directions to the letter.

Leo knew he was in close enough range to grab Takumi now. He could feel the minute shifts in the nearby darkness, though he still strained to hear the thrum. He forced himself still while he waited for Takumi to draw another arrow.

When he did, he wrapped his arms around his waist.

Takumi let out a yelp and Leo's eyes widened when they lifted off the ground _much_ more than he expected and _crashed_ down. He felt his breath leave him and he gripped his chest, struggling for breath. He barely registered the light above him, and the sensation passed from a spell. He looked up at Takumi, regretting this course of action.

The other prince _glared_ down at him and he sat up, scrambling back a bit, but a firm hand kept him from going too far. "Leo, what the _hell_ were you thinking and h—"

Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around Takumi's neck, shaking a bit. He felt the other's shoulders drop and heard a sigh. "…Leo…" His voice barely raised above a whisper.

"Takumi, please don't wall me out. I-I'm sorry if taking you off battles hurt you, but especially after hearing what you said last night, I couldn't help but—"

" _Leo_." The soft but firm word silenced him and Takumi put a finger under his chin and he let his head tilt upward. The other prince's features softened and Leo let himself relax a little bit, but he still remained tense. His heart pounded from the earlier expression and he fought the urge to flee.

He felt Takumi's arms shift behind him and pull him into a hug, so he buried his face in his shoulder. "…I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you, but I don't want to burden you either…" Leo blinked and glanced up at him, though he looked away. Did Takumi really think he was a burden…? But…how…? He was one of Hoshi—

Oh.

 _Oh_.

He'd have to think on that later, though, and he reached up, placing one hand on Takumi's cheek, making him look down. Leo smiled up at him, though he didn't get a return one. … _I know you're afraid to trust me, but I'm the_ _last_ _person to judge_. Takumi bit his lip before sighing, then settled into a sitting position, Leo in his lap. His cheeks burned but he said nothing as he looked up at Takumi.

"…War is my only purpose…"

What? How could that be? He knew so much, though…

"Ever since I was four, this has been my primary concern." Takumi pulled the Fuujin Yumi's concealed form off a chain under his shirt, resting it in his palm. Leo just kept his gaze on him, letting him speak his piece.

"I wanted Cami-nee back more than anything, so I dedicated myself to mastering the Fuujin Yumi. It's…not like the other divine weapons. I need insane levels of concentration just to make the bowstring appear, let alone _use_ it." He sighed and shook his head. "Plus, it's the only reminder I have of okaa-chan. I wanted to stay connected to her, so I took it up on top of wanting to rescue Cami-nee.

"I-I…was scared. Okaa-chan had died not too long before the kidnapping and I saw everything… I didn't want to lose anybody again, so I walled. I became Hoshido's best warrior and mage through applying myself. It was so easy to get lost and it protected me." A tear dripped onto Leo's forehead and he reached up to wipe away Takumi's tears. He saw the other prince's lip quiver and could easily tell this was hard for him. Leo couldn't blem him in the slightest since his own past was so difficult. He hadn't known just how hard things could be in Hoshido. The grass had always been greener (quite literally), but now it seemed to hide grey and black beneath it.

Takumi sniffled and bowed his head, but continued a moment later. "War… War is my only purpose. I'm smart, sure, but it all feeds into my use of the Fuujin Yumi. What…what am I supposed to do with out battle? I wanted my sister back, but I always knew her return would make me _useless_. But it came even sooner than I thought…" He broke off in a sob, burying his face in his hands.

Leo's heart sank and he froze. OH gods… He hadn't expected Takumi to open up to him like this. He didn't know what to do, how to comfort him. This was Elise and Camilla's area of expertise. Even _Xander_ knew how to handle this better. He really was—

Gods, they were so similar.

It was starting to get unnerving.

But he shifted and placed his forehead against Takumi's, getting the other prince to drop his hands into his lap, though he kept his gaze averted. "…I get it." _That_ made their eyes lock and he saw Takumi's pupils dilated to their maximum.

"What? But… How?"

"I mainly serve as Nohr's chief tactician. After this war is over… I'll have nothing left. I'm good with magic, but I don't have the temperament to deal with politics. What good is a tactician with no army to lead?" He ignored the small cough and a sad smile spread on his face. With how Ryoma and Camilla were, the nations would be at peace with no chance of war under their rule. Plus, with Elise and Xander helping with political delegations between the varying tribes, it left him with little to do other than assist Nohrian farmers during the growing season. Even _that_ was limited and between his frail health and sensitive temperament, it left him very little purpose. The last thing he wanted to do was spend his days locked in some library away from people, but it seemed his only choice.

He was absolutely _useless_ in the areas that mattered most.

Leo's face heated when Takumi placed one of his hands on his cheeks. Despite the tears still trailing down, the other prince managed a frail smile. "We really are birds of a feather, huh?"

Leo gave a faint smile of his own and nodded. "Yeah, You won't—?" He broke off in a coughing fit and Takumi put his hands on his shoulders to steady him.

"No. No more walling or running." Leo nodded and settled back into Takumi's arms, closing his eyes. "Did you eat today?"

Leo just smiled as he nodded.

* * *

This chapter was a ride to write start to finish.

Why?

Because literally nothing went the way I planned it. Leo had his own ideas of what he was going to do and he did them.

I had expected him to endure a few sessions of Takumi walling and being politely distant (though not snapping), then talk to Ryoma about it, but nope. He decided to go to talk to Ryoma and skip all of that. I'm not complaining, but it's just funny how the author can be just as much a spectator as the audience.

When it comes down to it, Leo and Takumi are the ones in control of this, so I'm basically just sitting back and letting them do their thing. I have a few suggestions for what they might do, but they decide if they do it or not.

Also, if anybody wants a little bit more information on how the Fuujin Yumi works, feel free to check out the oneshot Wings of Dreams. It's narrated by the spirit in the bow (sort of) and explains a bit about the divine weapons and how they work.


	12. Chapter 12

Sorry for not posting anything for a few weeks. I've been down with some health problems that's made it hard to do anything other than just sit around. Still not feeling great but I was going nuts from not writing, so here's chapter twelve. It's nothing groundbreaking, but I just needed a shorter chapter to get back in the groove after sitting around for the past two weeks.

Also if anybody gets the reference I made to an obscure fantasy series in this chapter, I'll scream. (In that happy way because someone shares the same obscure, niche fandom as me.)

* * *

Leo smiled when Takumi walked into the war tent the following night, though it vanished when he noticed he carried only one portion. _Takumi_ … The small portion betrayed it was for Leo and the other prince just sighed.

"I just… I feel awful for how I treated you…" His free hand gripped the fabric over his heart and he sat down, putting the plate on the table. Leo pried the hand off his shirt and looked at him, eyes locking for a moment before Takumi's drifted to the side.

 _You were afraid and trying to protect yourself. I'm not upset with you_ . Leo honestly wasn't sure if he had it in him to hate somebody, let alone hold a grudge. Despite all Garon had done, he wasn't sure if he hated even _him_. Anger, vitriol, and disdain certainly, but he wasn't sure if he knew what true hatred was.

Takumi hesitated for a moment before nodding. "All right." He ran his free hand over Leo's head before leaving the tent to fetch his own portion. Leo sighed as he watched his friend leave before turning his attention back to his tactics. He'd have to keep an eye on him…

* * *

Things returned to normal over the next couple of nights, much to Leo's relief. They didn't last long, though, as Camilla called all of the (currently present) royal siblings together one night. Ryoma and Takumi just exchanged glances before turning their attention to Camilla. "Ryoma, Takumi, I'll just cut to the chase so we can make this meeting short. Tomorrow, we'll be approaching a village. The people will be scared due to seeing the Hoshidan banner flying with the Nohrian one. Were Hinoka here, I would have asked her to accompany us, but given she isn't, it falls to one of you."

Leo just furrowed his brows. How in the Dusk Dragon's name did Camilla know so much about the Hoshidan royals and Ryoma in the same vein with _their_ family? What was the connection between his brother and Ryoma? He knew Queen Katerina had spent time in Hoshido but to what extent…?

He shoved the mystery aside as the pair of Hoshidan princes talked in quick, hushed tones. Just a few moments later, Takumi jerked away, eyes wide. "Oh no. You expect _me_ to go? I can't do it, Ryoma-nii! You're more diplomatic than I am! I'll just fuck this—"

Ryoma placed one of his hands on Takumi's head and smiled at him. "But you're more _personable_ than I am. Diplomacy has its place, but in this case, a personable approach is more favorable." Leo swore he felt the air around them chill _just_ from the look on Takumi's face. No doubt his numerous insecurities roared through his mind and Leo just put one hand on his friend's shoulder. Takumi's warm hand gripped his own, the skin paper white as he shook.

 _I believe in you_. Takumi's gaze snapped over to Leo and the other prince swallowed.

 _Will you stay with me so I don't screw up?_

 _You won't. I have faith in your abilities_. Leo smiled warmly and the other prince nodded a little.

"You still know a _lot_ more about Nohrian culture than, though, Ryoma-nii… Why…?" Leo was glad he'd seemed to calm Takumi down enough to be at least a little steadier and more rational. The elder prince just smiled and let out a low, affectionate chuckle.

"As I said: diplomacy has its place, but not here. You're better at connecting with people right away than I am. Plus, I have faith in you. _"_ The warmth in his smile rivaled the Hoshidan sun. Takumi's brows remained tucked together but he nodded as he turned from his older brother. Leo got the distinct impression he had more to say, but he held his tongue and dropped Leo's hand.

With that decided, the other siblings dispersed, leaving the young princes in the war tent alone. Takumi just dropped his head on the table and buried his face in his arms, continuing to shake. Leo frowned and drew the tent flap to ensure they wouldn't be interrupted before returning to his friend. He put a hand on his shoulder but got no response.

 _Takumi?_

He remained motionless for several moments before looking at Leo whose eyebrows shot up.

The black almost overtook the amber and he almost thought him possessed by a demon for a moment.

Leo just scooted his chair closer and wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulders. Without prompting, the other _clung_ for dear life. Leo just blinked. This scene was _all_ too familiar with him. How many times had it repeated with those closest to him…? How odd it was to have _Takumi_ of all people clinging to him for comfort…

"Leo… I'm gonna fuck this up… I just know it… Sure I can speak your language and cook your meals, but what the hell do I know about Nohrian culture outside of floriography? Shit. That's what." The other prince's shaking only increased and Leo hesitated before running a hand down his back. Ods, he wasn't good at this. Why did it have to be _him_? Surely Oboro or Hinata would have been able to handle this better than him but…

He had to try.

What would his mother have done…?

 _Takumi… It's okay. You're only human. Plus… I've already seen how smart you are. If anybody can figure it out, it's you. You're pretty good at picking things up on the fly, right? I'm sure you'll do fine. I've already seen how well you handle people with how you've dealt with me._

Leo closed his eyes and sent a silent prayer to the Dusk Dragon his words would help. He knew how to handle his soldiers in situations like this since he knew almost everything about them. It was easy to draw on that vast store of information to comfort them, but here…

Here, he shot into the dark.

Things were starting to make sense with Takumi, but there was still so much he didn't know. It reminded him of being in the Lostlorn Woods at night by himself.

Thankfully, he did notice a decrease in the shaking as Takumi gave a tiny nod before looking up. "Yeah… I am pretty adaptable, I guess… I mean half the shit I pulled on you while leading the Snow Wings on the battlefield I made up on the spot." His voice wavered, but the slight lilt and attempt at humor made Leo manage a tiny smile. However, as another thought crossed his mind, it grew.

 _Hey, will you be okay if I leave for a minute? I'll be right back; I promise_. He didn't want to abandon his friend, but he had an idea. Takumi hesitated for a moment before nodding.

Leo darted back to his tent as he picked up two board with three boxes of pieces, then returned as quickly as he could. He spread the two boards out and on the table and smiled. Takumi just quirked a brow as he looked at the two boards. Black and white squares adorned one while the other took the shape of a triangle with simulated hills, valleys, plains, and deserts. "Leo, what…?"

 _Do you like strategy games?_ Considering Takumi led the Snow Wings, he had to be familiar with _some_ form of strategy game. If he actually got enjoyment out of them was another question entirely, though.

Much to Leo's relief, Takumi smiled and nodded as he opened one of the boxes with the pieces. One contained chess pieces, another checkers, and the last three different sets of army forces. They resembled mages, knights, archer, messengers, and more. "Yeah, I do, and shogi's my favorite. But I've been besting Yukimura since I was little; it's always satisfying to see him realise he walked into a trip too late." He grinned and Leo brightened with a nod. He wasn't trying to belittle or ignore Takumi's feelings; with how he himself had changed the subject, Leo didn't feel it wise to pursue the topic much more.

"So what are they?"

 _This one's chess and this one's checkers. They're played on the, well, checkered board. This one's Intrigue. It's usually played with two people, though a third can join. They're called the Triad and they're unpredictable due to having no allegiance to either kingdom and plays the wildcard_. Leo paused for a moment as he realised just how oddly fitting it was to their current situation. Three nations fighting against each other with one unknown and unpredictable. Just…how odd.

Takumi's raised brows clued him in that it wasn't lost on him either. "Well, I can't say I've played any of them, so please teach me, Leo-sensei~" Leo's cheeks heated a bit and he let out a tiny, high-pitched noise before moving on from the comment. He turned to ward the boards and grabbed the checkers.


	13. Chapter 13

In which mundanity turns into a chapter

* * *

"Damnation. This is harder than I thought, but I'll beat you eventually." Takumi grinned at Leo who smiled in return. Needless to say, the Hoshidan prince had taken to checkers like a fish to water, but the first game always proved the hardest. Thankfully, Takumi seemed a graceful loser when it came to learning new things. Leo had handily dispatched any attempted strategy Takumi devised within a matter of only about an hour.

"Although…if I'm going to be meeting Nohrians tomorrow…maybe I should wear your style of clothing." Leo blinked at the sudden request. It was already into the evening and there'd be no way they could get him any sort of high-quality clothing in time. He shook his head with a small sigh as he toyed with one of the white checkers.

 _The only clothing of royal quality we have is mine. Even if we're about the same height…I'm probably a twig compared to you_. It was difficult for Leo to get any sort of a grasp on Takumi's physique. He buried himself in a coat, an under jacket, and an undershirt. It left all but his face and hands concealed. Even the more hybridised clothes kept his body hidden due to all the layers.

Leo's eyebrows drew together as Takumi spoke again.

"Well, if you're willing to sacrifice a couple extra articles of clothing, Oboro can probably have it done by time camp breaks." Takumi observed one of the chess pieces from the box, entirely unaware of Leo's revelation. He forced himself calm and blinked at the suggestion. How in the Dusk Dragon's name could one woman do that in such a short amount of time?

Almost as if sensing Leo's thoughts, Takumi replaced the piece in the box and looked at him. "Oboro's one of the best seamstresses in Hoshido. She can pull off absolute miracles in a pinch." It was something Leo would need to see to believe but he nodded.

 _Well I can do that if you think she'll be able to…_ He felt bad since it meant several pieces Camilla spent hours slaving over would be destroyed, but in this case, he thought she'd understand. Plus, he did have a closet full of clothes back at the castle.

Takumi just smiled and nodded as he pushed himself off the chair and followed Leo to his tent. He let out a low whistle when they entered and Leo's cheeks heated a bit. Instead of the stacks of books one would expect, plants filled just about every surface…including the bookcases. Vines draped around the top of the tent and down, forming a highway around the entirety of it. It looked like a greenhouse had exploded inside.

 _They're all herbs that we bring just in case something happens to René's stores_. The man always harped on being prepared as did Berand, so he carried a mobile pharmacy. It also made life for the healers a lot easier since they never ran low on supplies unless Leo took fever.

Takumi just nodded and looked around while Leo gathered up a few of his clothes. He raised an eyebrow when he saw numerous stems bending toward Takumi as if he were a light source. He knew about the magic but this was insane. He hadn't expected _this_ level of mastery over nature, but it just went to prove his earlier words. He really was more an embodiment of nature itself than human…

Shaking the thoughts off, they headed to Oboro's tent where they both exchanged looks. "I'm not going crazy, am I, Leo? You hear your sister in there too, right?" Takumi hissed the words and Leo nodded. Just when had the pair bonded? It seemed impossible with the frost reception Oboro had given him and René not too long ago.

Takumi cleared his throat before speaking up. "Hey, Oboro, it's me. Mind if I come in? I've got Leo with me." The pair of chattering hens fell silent for a moment and Oboro poked her head out. Her eyes hardened a little when she saw Leo and he scooted behind Takumi a bit.

"Of course, Takumi-sama, Leo-dono. Please come in. I hope you don't mind my company." Leo instinctively tucked into Camilla after entering, but, thankfully, Oboro's gaze softened when they were inside.

Takumi quickly outlined the request and Oboro nodded. "It'll be a tight squeeze, but I can get it done with Camilla-sama's help." She smiled warmly at Camilla who returned the gesture . The princes exchanged glances once again. Just when and how had they become so close…?

"For now, though, I'll leave you so you can get things settled in peace." Camilla nudged Leo off her lap and stepped out of the tent.

Oboro turned her attention to Leo and he quailed a bit, but her gaze didn't harden as expected. He relinquished the clothes without argument and started to leave. He saw Takumi stiffen and even Oboro's eyebrows shot up. "Leo…?" Takumi's voice quivered a bit.

He looked down and squeezed his hands together before tapping on the back of one. _All I know is that you probably have scarring you want to hide. It's why you wear so many layers, right?_ He and all of his siblings covered up just as much as Takumi did. Plus, the unusually high, stiff collars meant that he had something to hide on his neck. What the scarring was from, though, he couldn't guess at. Mikoto was benevolent and not the sadistic tyrant Garon was. Just what would he be hiding…? But he wouldn't make Takumi talk if he didn't want to. They still barely knew each other when it came down to it.

"…You can stay if you want. Plus, I'll probably need some help with the stupid buttons." He looked up and saw Takumi's fragile smile. The other prince was obviously uncomfortable but… He was also placing _a lot_ of trust in him with the offer. Leo wasn't sure if he should take it or not but with how guarded Takumi was…

Leo returned to his seat.

He saw Takumi take a breath in before he started removing his clothes. First the coat, then the under jacket, then the undershirt…

Leo covered his mouth with his hands, eyes round as much as they could.

The tangle of scars and the jagged one across his throat made him feel like his own paled in comparison. Yes, they were far more numerous, but they came from a lifetime of the worst physical abuses and tortures. This… This was self-inflicted. He knew Takumi was insecure but…

The Hoshidan prince looked away as Oboro offered him one of the shirts. He swore as he tried to pull it on, his cheeks heating a little in frustration. "Gods damn it all! I knew you were small, Leo, but actually trying your clothes on is another thing entirely!" Leo managed a small smile despite himself.

"Well, how much do you weigh?"

"A little under sixty-six kilos. You're probably only forty soaking wet if this is anything to go off!" Leo chuckled a little as he rubbed the side of his neck.

"Fifty-two actually, so you're not that far off." Unfortunately, there _were_ times Takumi's estimate was correct. He'd dropped as low as thirty-eight and a half after a few campaigns due to how little he ate. Takumi was currently the only reason he was (mostly) maintaining his current weight…

"I have my kimono tailored, but I don't understand how you deal with wearing clothes so tight all the time. _Damnation_." Takumi shook his head and rolled his eyes before Oboro started flitting around. Leo fell silent as he pondered the disturbing truth as to why Takumi was the way he was.

He was one of Hoshido's most _brilliant_ minds, but the nations conformist culture had basically broken him. He'd no doubt pursued his abilities at the expense of being estranged from his entire culture. He was so harsh and cruel on the outside to prevent himself from being hurt again…but it backfired and made him hate himself to the point of self-harm and attempted suicide.

Gods…

He had known Hoshido had its flaws, but he hadn't expected it to be so brutal. In some respects, it was _worse_ than Nohr. Nohr's brutality was plainly evident and _right there_ for everybody to see. If one knew about Nohr, they knew what they were in for. They would have to fight for their life against some of the harshest conditions and people known to the world. But with Hoshido…

One didn't know what they were getting into. It seemed a land of rich opportunity, warmth, and acceptance when nothing could be further from the truth. People could be brutal and cutthroat but it was in more subtle ways. Not being able to conform was basically a warrant for being barred and ostracised from society.

And not even the royal family was safe from those expectations.

Leo's blood ran cold at the thought of what Takumi's siblings had almost no doubt experienced.

"Leo-dono, I have a few questions. Do you think you could answer them? I haven't worked with Nohrian clothes before so—"

"Oh, of c—"

"I know Nohrian Coded Sign Language, too, so don't worry about speaking." Leo's head gave several short, fast shakes. What? But how? Why? Sure, Ryoma and Takumi knew it, but _her_ when she so clearly hated Nohrians…? He didn't voice the questions, though, as he slipped off the chair and walked over. Oboro poked and prodded at his clothes, having him go through several motions to learn how they should fold and sit.

"Could you remove your waistcoat please? I need to see how the buttondown sits otherwise. And don't worry about your scarring; I've already worked with Cami-sama, so it's nothing new to me." Oboro's tone was purely businesslike and held no judgment. If she'd worked with Cami, then there really was nothing to worry about…

Leo removed his waistcoat, and she raised an eyebrow. "Undershirts, too, please, Leo-dono." He capitulated and Takumi's eyes snapped open.

"Leo, what the hell happened…? What are… Is that… Why… Scars from dark magic…? Who?!" Leo stiffened under the sudden outburst. He knew it wasn't directed at him, but the ingrained behavior kicked in.

"…Sorry."

 _No, it's all right. I know you were getting angry_ **_for_ ** _me, not_ **_at_ ** _me._ He managed a frail smile and Takumi nodded as he buttoned his shirt back up. He didn't answer the question, though, as Oboro demanded his attention again.

All he knew was that Iago had used him for some awful experiments. The memory manipulation was so complete that all he knew was that they happened and had been _painful_.

A mercy in this case.

Eventually, Oboro released them and Leo yawned and stretched. Being the center of attention like that was always draining and he legitimately wanted to sleep for once.

"Come on. Let's head to my tent since it's closer." Takumi wrapped an arm around Leo's shoulders and pulled him onto his cot and into his arms after they got situation. He buried his face in Takumi's chest and closed his eyes, the sound of the other prince's breathing lulling him to slumber.


	14. Chapter 14

I would like to offer an apology for this fic suddenly dropping off the face of the earth for four months. The reason I just dropped dead in the water is because I got _horribly_ burned out on writing Fire Emblem. In the span of about two months, I'd written over 40k for the Silence Keepers universe. During that time, I was also doing a lot of FE text-based RP with my main partner, so that only added an unknowable amount of thousands of words on top of my fic writing. That was nearly NaNoWriMo levels of wordcount, so hopefully it's understandable on why I stopped.

That said, I apologise if this chapter isn't up to the quality of the previous ones. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. This is a Takumi chapter (surprisingly enough). I tried writing it from Leo's view before but I just was not pleased with the quality. I'm still not too happy with with the quality, admittedly, but this is what happens when you come back to a fic after an extended duration. It's light on Leokumi content but that was a bit of a given with how heavily it was implied in the last couple of chapters.

Updates will probably be far more sporadic now (though hopefully not once every four months). Between everything irl, my Persona 5 fics (especially Judgment), and my Pokémon Ranger project, I have a lot going on. I thank anybody from the bottom of my heart that's been waiting for an update from this fic. Thank you for being loyal and being so patient.

* * *

Locked doors and shuttered windows served as their welcoming committee and Takumi shifted his grip on Saki's saddle. He had expect a cold welcome from the Nohrians, but not such cold isolation. They were frigid to Hoshidans, sure, but this…?

He felt his presence here was even more of a mistake. He was a hated figure in Nohr due to how merciless he was in battle. He picked off healers from a distance with the Fuujin Yumi. Everyone knew how he reviled Nohr to the point of calling just about every Nohrian 'scum' while on the battlefield. He wouldn't be surprised if the common people thought him a demon of some sort for all of his aggressive transactions over the past five years.

This was a mistake.

Ryoma should've been here, not him.

The sound of violin music snapped him out of his stupor and he couldn't stop the faint smile on his face. The ditty was clearly a harvest song of some sort. He wasn't the most familiar with Nohrian musical conventions. However, the couple of books of folk songs Katerina had gifted the Seiwa family had familiarised him with them to a degree. Plus, Reiko knew quite a few songs that she'd learned while in Nohr and had passed them onto Sakura.

Eventually, Camilla gave a rousing speech in addition to Leo's songs that go a couple of the village elders to approach. Takumi tensed, feeling his throat close, but he forced himself calm as he listened to the speak.

"Who's the Hoshidan, Princess Camilla?" The elder man, gripping his hat, spoke in Nohrian, no doubt trying to keep the conversation private. He glanced at the men and they stiffened.

"I'm Takumi Seiwa, second prince of Hoshido, next in line for the throne, third child of the late King Sumeragi and Queen Ikona. It's an honor to meet both of you." Thankfully, Nohrian was second nature for him by this point as Ryoma had been adamant all of them learn it as children. It was mostly to ensure they could communicate effectively with Xander, should anything like the current situation happen.

The two men just stared and Takumi shifted under their gazes. It wasn't everyday one met a Hoshidan so fluent in Nohrian.

His hands balled as he fought not to snap at them, to make this horrible awkwardness end. But he was a representative of Hoshido as a whole. Doing so would be a surefire way to aggravate the already high tensions and add further fuel to the bad blood between the nations. He couldn't afford to do that, now could he?

The two elders exchanged glances as Leo slipped over. "David, Levi, there's truly nothing to worry about. The Hoshidans have joined forces with us to take down the tyrant king himself. We can only liberate Nohr from his clutches with their assistance." Takumi's eyebrows shot up at Leo's silky smooth lie. He was normally so transparent, and yet here, he could lie to his subjects—residents he obviously knew very well—without flinching. How…? Why…?

The pair looked at Leo and nodded. "All right, Prince Leo." The slightly younger one stepped up and stretched his hand out, making Takumi groan inside. What was with Nohrians and their handshakes? A bow was so much better since you didn't involve physical contact with a complete stranger as a greeting!

A small nudge from Leo snapped him from his thoughts and he suppressed a sigh. "I'm David, the leader of this humble little village." Takumi released his hand as soon as the introduction ended and released the tension in his body, suddenly realising this man wasn't so different from the average Hoshidan villager.

"I'm Princ Takumi as I stated earlier." Oh gods, what did people talk about? He was really only used to interacting with a small handful of people; he didn't know how to make smalltalk with anybody in Hoshido, let alone Nohr! Animals were so much easier to be around (even if pegasi and kinshi were highly opinionated at all times)!

David squeezed the hat in his hands and looked at Saki, his eyes round. The pegasus flipped her ears back and gave an angry hum, put he put a hand on her neck, letting off a subsonic hum with magic in reply. David backed up a few steps and Takumi offered a hesitant but apologetic smile. "I'm sorry about Saki; she's a little unnerved being in Nohr."

It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either; she felt whatever force corrupted and poisoned the land like he did. Plus, she just wasn't fond of basically anybody but him…

David gave a small nod, continuing to wring his hat in his hands. "She's quite beautiful; I've never seen a pegasus aside from Lilyana. I've heard Hoshido has quite the domestic stock, but I wouldn't know. Is it true?" Takumi's shoulders dropped and a soft smile came to his lips. Now this was a topic he knew how to talk about.

"Yeah, we do, but Saki's tamed There are about eighty different breeds of domestic pegasi but I can't say I know a lot about them or their individual behaviors. I interact almost exclusively with wild stock." Pegasi considered the words 'feral' and 'mustang' to be highly offensive, so he wasn't about to use them around his touchy mare. It was a bit embarrassing to admit he knew so little about domestics, but considering he spent so much time in the wilds…

"What are they like? What do they eat? How long do they—" Color entered David's cheeks and he put his hat on, pulling the brim of his face. Takumi couldn't help but give a soft chuckle, shaking his head.

"No, no, it's all right; I'm happy to answer any questions you might have." He was used to these sorts of intense question-and-answer sessions due to the Snow Wings. So few people (especially the nobility) knew how to properly handle pegasi that he was always more than willing to be patient.

With that, the entered a long session that lasted over an hour until David seemed satisfied. However, a look around the village's perimeter revealed minimal growth and yield. He caught David's downcast gaze out of the corner of his eye.

"...Excuse me if this overstepping bounds and offends you, Prince Takumi, but you and your people are lucky. I know Hoshido no doubt has its problems, but at least you never want for food year after year. We struggle and toil just to eke out a minimal survival. Even after that, our lord and his knights take what they want, leaving us to starve through the winter. THis cycle has repeated itself my whole life." David shifted back several steps, shaking a bit as if prepared to be struck. Takumi's heart dropped on sharp rocks as he realised it likely happened when he had displeased his lord. Unfortunately, there were many lords like that in Hoshido, unkind to their serfs, but the Seiwa family had done (and continued to try) their best to root them out.

Takumi remained where he was and shook his head, offering David another soft, warm smile. "You have nothing to fear from me, David-s—" He cut the honorific. Even though he hated them, they were such a deeply ingrained habit that it was hard to ignore. "You're a human being just as any other. While I might be royalty, I am as human as you are. I am no higher than you if everything is stripped away." The man looked up at him with wide, round eye and ashen cheeks.

"...There are a number of crops from Hoshido that I know can grow in Nohr despite the harsh conditions. As the next currently in line for the throne—" His throat stuck. It hurt to admit Eirene was dead. "—I can guarantee that Hoshido will offer all aid possible to Nohr's reconstruction after the war ends. This will include crops that will be more advantageous to Nohr's climate and conditions." His extensive, encyclopedic knowledge of plants definitely came in handy at times like this. He'd need to study Nohr's climate and geography more but—

He tensed when arms around his shoulders snapped him out of the musing. He forced himself to relax, though, and patted the man's shoulder as he wept. He really couldn't blame him. The crops they had were obviously ill suited to Nohr's climate even at a glance. THe thought of having something for his family and village to eat throughout the winter without starving…

When David pulled away, pink dusted his cheeks and he backed up. Takumi just offered him a warm smile and shook his head. "It's all right, David; I understand how emotional hope can be." He'd never really experienced it himself outside of befriending Oboro and Hinata, but he'd seen it in the Snow Wings whenever he brought someone new in. His reaction was exactly the same.

"Prince Takumi, you're far too kind. You're nothing like what people describe you as." He kept the smile on his face, but the right side of his chest twitched a bit. He knew Nohrians saw him as a heartless monster. With his past behaviors, he really did paint himself as Nohr's public enemy number one. He wasn't helping anything by continuing to lash out at the soldiers but… At least he was giving the people a first good impression.

"Thank you David; it means a lot to me." It was…nice to hear praise once in awhile even if he disagreed wholeheartedly. He was nothing but a monster that went out of his way to hurt others.

The rest of the day passed relatively quietly as Takumi walked the fields with David, offering advice where he could. Of course, traditional Norhian farming had long ago maximised the crop yield, but he could still offer a few Hoshidan techniques that might offer some help. He wasn't sure if they'd work or not, but it was worth a shot.

As dusk started to settle, Leo slipped back to Takumi's side and offered him a small, knowing smile. The Hoshidan prince said nothing and offered David a bow before they returned to camp. He changed out of the Nohrian clothes and back to Hoshidan ones before heading to the tactics tent. Books spilled out all over the table and Takumi just smiled a bit as he sat a plate in front of Leo.

 _It looks like you had a nice time._ Leo smiled and a bit of warmth entered Takumi's cheeks as he nodded.

"Yeah. I thought I'd screw up terribly, but I didn't. Where did you disappear to anyway?" Leo had promised to stay with him, but he'd slipped off soon after they'd arrived. Takumi wasn't upset or hurt; he was just curious.

A bit of color blossomed in Leo's cheeks as he stabbed his dinner with a fork. _It's the growing season, so I needed to use Brynhildr to help return some of the nutrients to the soil_. So that explained the strange wave of magic he'd sensed while walking with David. He'd been so engrossed in the conversation, though, he hadn't paid it much heed.

Takumi furrowed his brows and sighed. There were several pieces he knew he could put together, but after his previous experiences with memory loss, he knew he was fighting a losing battle. This was beyond frustrating, but he couldn't do a damn thing about it.

 _What's wrong?_

"Damnable memory loss." He'd at least learned to work around it to some degree thanks to Eirene, but there was only so much he could do. Leo just gave a sympathetic wince and patted his hand before Takumi looked at the atlas in front of them.

"Do you think you could teach me about Nohr's geography and climate?"


End file.
